Inequality of Subjective Well-Being as a Comprehensive Measure of Inequality

Leonard Goff, John Helliwell and Guy Mayraz ()

No 21900, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: The link between happiness and overall inequality is best studied using an index that incorporates different aspects of inequality, and is measured consistently in different countries. One such index is the degree to which happiness itself varies among individuals. Its correlation with both happiness levels and social trust is substantially stronger than the corresponding correlation for income inequality. This remains so after allowing for bounded scale reporting, including a purely ordinal measure of dispersion. Moreover, the correlation is stronger for individuals who profess to care most about inequality. The link between happiness and inequality may thus be stronger than previously appreciated.

JEL-codes: D6 D63 I31 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-01
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Published as Leonard Goff & John F. Helliwell & Guy Mayraz, 2018. "INEQUALITY OF SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AS A COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE OF INEQUALITY," Economic Inquiry, vol 56(4), pages 2177-2194.

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Journal Article: INEQUALITY OF SUBJECTIVE WELL‐BEING AS A COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE OF INEQUALITY (2018)
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