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Measuring Wellbeing in the SOEP

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  • Ulrich Schimmack

Abstract

I define wellbeing as preference realization. Wellbeing can be measured with affective (the amount of pleasant versus unpleasant experiences) and cognitive (satisfaction with life in general and life domains) measures. Since its inception 25 years ago, the SOEP has included cognitive measures of wellbeing. In 2007, the SOEP included four items (happy, sad, angry, afraid) as an affective measure of wellbeing. This paper examines similarities and differences between cognitive and affective measures of wellbeing. In the end, I propose a wellbeing index that combines information from measures of life satisfaction, average domain satisfaction and affect balance.

Suggested Citation

  • Ulrich Schimmack, 2009. "Measuring Wellbeing in the SOEP," Schmollers Jahrbuch : Journal of Applied Social Science Studies / Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 129(2), pages 241-249.
    • Handle: RePEc:aeq:aeqsjb:v129_y2009_i1_q1_p241-249
    DOI: 10.3790/schm.129.2.241
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Regina Gerlich & Tobias Wolbring, 2021. "“In Good Times and in Bad, in Sickness and in Health”: A Longitudinal Analysis on Spousal Caregiving and Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1481-1516, March.
    2. André Hajek, 2013. "Life Satisfaction and Unemployment: The Role of Voluntariness and Job Prospects," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 601, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    3. Adrian Chadi, 2019. "Dissatisfied with life or with being interviewed? Happiness and the motivation to participate in a survey," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 53(3), pages 519-553, October.
    4. Michael Weinhardt & Jürgen Schupp, 2011. "Multi-Itemskalen im SOEP Jugendfragebogen," Data Documentation 60, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Ulrich Schimmack & Richard Lucas, 2010. "Environmental Influences on Well-Being: A Dyadic Latent Panel Analysis of Spousal Similarity," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 98(1), pages 1-21, August.
    6. Sumit S. Deole & Yue Huang, 2024. "Suffering and prejudice: do negative emotions predict immigration concerns?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(2), pages 1-39, June.
    7. Astrid Körner & Rainer Silbereisen & Uwe Cantner, 2014. "Work-Related Demands Emanating from Social Change and Their Relation to Trait-Like and Occasion-Specific Aspects of Subjective Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 203-222, January.
    8. Matthias Siembab & Nico Stawarz, 2019. "How Does Life Satisfaction Change During the Transition from School to Work? A Study of Ninth and Tenth-Grade School-Leavers in Germany," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 165-183, January.
    9. André Hajek, 2013. "Endogeneity in the Relation between Poverty, Wealth and Life Satisfaction," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 604, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    10. André Pirralha, 2018. "The Link Between Political Participation and Life Satisfaction: A Three Wave Causal Analysis of the German SOEP Household Panel," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 138(2), pages 793-807, July.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being

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