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Big Data Measures of Well-Being: Evidence from a Google Well-Being Index in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Algan, Yann
  • Beasley, Elizabeth
  • Guyot, Florian
  • Higa, Kazuhito
  • Murtin, Fabrice
  • Senik, Claudia

Abstract

We build an indicator of individual well-being in the United States based on Google Trends. The indicator is a combination of keyword groups that are endogenously identified to fit with weekly time-series of subjective wellbeing measures collected by Gallup Analytics. We find that keywords associated with job search, financial security, family life and leisure are the strongest predictors of the variations in subjective wellbeing. The model successfully predicts the out-of-sample evolution of most subjective wellbeing measures at a one-year horizon.

Suggested Citation

  • Algan, Yann & Beasley, Elizabeth & Guyot, Florian & Higa, Kazuhito & Murtin, Fabrice & Senik, Claudia, 2016. "Big Data Measures of Well-Being: Evidence from a Google Well-Being Index in the United States," CEPREMAP Working Papers (Docweb) 1605, CEPREMAP.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpm:docweb:1605
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    Cited by:

    1. K. I. Shaklein, 2018. "Monitoring of Global and National Consumer Trends — Importance Stage of Strategizing (Based on Rabbit Industry)," Administrative Consulting, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. North-West Institute of Management., vol. 1(7).
    2. Fantazzini, Dean & Shakleina, Marina & Yuras, Natalia, 2018. "Big Data for computing social well-being indices of the Russian population," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 50, pages 43-66.
    3. Krzysztof Drachal & Daniel González Cortés, 2022. "Estimation of Lockdowns’ Impact on Well-Being in Selected Countries: An Application of Novel Bayesian Methods and Google Search Queries Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-24, December.
    4. Arnaud Joskin, 2017. "Working Paper 04-17 - Qu’est-ce qui compte pour les Belges ? Analyse des déterminants du bien-être individuel en Belgique [Working Paper 04-17 - Wat telt voor de Belgen? Analyse van de determinante," Working Papers 1704, Federal Planning Bureau, Belgium.

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    Keywords

    Subjective Well-Being; Big Data; Bayesian Statistics;
    All these keywords.

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