IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ariqol/v16y2021i5d10.1007_s11482-020-09849-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effect of Volunteering and Pensions on Subjective Wellbeing of Elderly–are there Cross-Country Differences?

Author

Listed:
  • Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn

    (Rutgers)

  • Leszek Morawski

    (University of Warsaw)

Abstract

We investigate the effect of volunteering and pensions on subjective wellbeing (SWB) of elderly using wave 6 of Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). This is the first study to consider volunteering and pensions simultaneously as a determinant of SWB among elderly across countries. We find that the effect of volunteering on SWB varies widely across countries. In some countries both effects are comparable, in other countries pensions have a larger effect on SWB. In general, effects are larger in South and East. High European pensions may be unsustainable in the long run–we argue that promotion of volunteering is one way to increase elderly subjective wellbeing amidst tightening budgets. The study is cross-sectional and correlational–we do not claim causality.

Suggested Citation

  • Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn & Leszek Morawski, 2021. "Effect of Volunteering and Pensions on Subjective Wellbeing of Elderly–are there Cross-Country Differences?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(5), pages 1943-1959, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:16:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s11482-020-09849-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-020-09849-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11482-020-09849-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11482-020-09849-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter Schmuck & Tim Kasser & Richard Ryan, 2000. "Intrinsic and Extrinsic Goals: Their Structure and Relationship to Well-Being in German and U.S. College Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 225-241, May.
    2. Nihal Senlier & Reyhan Yildiz & E. Aktaş, 2009. "A Perception Survey for the Evaluation of Urban Quality of Life in Kocaeli and a Comparison of the Life Satisfaction with the European Cities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 94(2), pages 213-226, November.
    3. Robert J. MacCulloch & Rafael Di Tella & Andrew J. Oswald, 2001. "Preferences over Inflation and Unemployment: Evidence from Surveys of Happiness," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(1), pages 335-341, March.
    4. Karin Amit & Howard Litwin, 2010. "The Subjective Well-Being of Immigrants Aged 50 and Older in Israel," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 98(1), pages 89-104, August.
    5. Radcliff,Benjamin, 2013. "The Political Economy of Human Happiness," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107644427, October.
    6. Eric Bonsang & Arthur Soest, 2012. "Satisfaction with Social Contacts of Older Europeans," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(2), pages 273-292, January.
    7. Ruut Veenhoven, 2009. "Well-Being in Nations and Well-Being of Nations," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 91(1), pages 5-21, March.
    8. Alexander Pacek & Benjamin Radcliff, 2008. "Welfare Policy and Subjective Well-Being Across Nations: An Individual-Level Assessment," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 179-191, October.
    9. Aaron Ahuvia, 2002. "Individualism/Collectivism and Cultures of Happiness: A Theoretical Conjecture on the Relationship between Consumption, Culture and Subjective Well-Being at the National Level," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 23-36, March.
    10. Radcliff,Benjamin, 2013. "The Political Economy of Human Happiness," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107030848, October.
    11. Paul Frijters & John P. Haisken-DeNew & Michael A. Shields, 2004. "Money Does Matter! Evidence from Increasing Real Income and Life Satisfaction in East Germany Following Reunification," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 730-740, June.
    12. Felicia Huppert & Nic Marks & Andrew Clark & Johannes Siegrist & Alois Stutzer & Joar Vittersø & Morten Wahrendorf, 2009. "Measuring Well-being Across Europe: Description of the ESS Well-being Module and Preliminary Findings," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 91(3), pages 301-315, May.
    13. Radcliff, Benjamin, 2001. "Politics, Markets, and Life Satisfaction: The Political Economy of Human Happiness," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 95(4), pages 939-952, December.
    14. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn, 2013. "City Life: Rankings (Livability) Versus Perceptions (Satisfaction)," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 110(2), pages 433-451, January.
    15. Anke Plagnol & Felicia Huppert, 2010. "Happy to Help? Exploring the Factors Associated with Variations in Rates of Volunteering Across Europe," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 97(2), pages 157-176, June.
    16. John F. Helliwell & Haifang Huang & Shawn Grover & Shun Wang, 2014. "Good Governance and National Well-being: What Are the Linkages?," OECD Working Papers on Public Governance 25, OECD Publishing.
    17. Ada Ferrer-i-Carbonell & Paul Frijters, 2004. "How Important is Methodology for the estimates of the determinants of Happiness?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(497), pages 641-659, July.
    18. Dolan, Paul & Peasgood, Tessa & White, Mathew, 2008. "Do we really know what makes us happy A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 94-122, February.
    19. Rafael Di Tella & Robert MacCulloch, 2006. "Some Uses of Happiness Data in Economics," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 20(1), pages 25-46, Winter.
    20. Veenhoven, Ruut, 2012. "Evidence based pursuit of happiness: What should we know, do we know and can we get to know?," MPRA Paper 41924, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. María del Carmen Valls Martínez & José Manuel Santos-Jaén & Fahim-ul Amin & Pedro Antonio Martín-Cervantes, 2021. "Pensions, Ageing and Social Security Research: Literature Review and Global Trends," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(24), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Wu, Fengyu & Nugent, Jeffrey B., 2024. "Mitigating Life Challenges to Subjective Well-being through Civic Engagement: Insights from a Global Perspective," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1489, Global Labor Organization (GLO).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn & Lonnie Golden, 2018. "Happiness is Flextime," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(2), pages 355-369, June.
    2. O'Donnell, Gus & Oswald, Andrew J., 2015. "National well-being policy and a weighted approach to human feelings," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 59-70.
    3. Leonardo Becchetti & Alessandra Pelloni, 2013. "What are we learning from the life satisfaction literature?," International Review of Economics, Springer;Happiness Economics and Interpersonal Relations (HEIRS), vol. 60(2), pages 113-155, June.
    4. Nikolova, Milena & Graham, Carol, 2015. "In transit: The well-being of migrants from transition and post-transition countries," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 164-186.
    5. Adam Okulicz-Kozaryn & Rubia Rocha Valente, 2018. "Life Satisfaction of Career Women and Housewives," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(3), pages 603-632, September.
    6. Iban Ortuzar & Gemma Renart & Angels Xabadia, 2021. "Effects of Public Healthcare Budget Cuts on Life Satisfaction in Spain," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 311-337, July.
    7. Ahmadiani, Mona & Ferreira, Susana, 2019. "Environmental amenities and quality of life across the United States," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    8. Antje Mertens & Miriam Beblo, 2016. "Self-Reported Satisfaction and the Economic Crisis of 2007–2010: Or How People in the UK and Germany Perceive a Severe Cyclical Downturn," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 537-565, January.
    9. Martin Rode, 2013. "Do Good Institutions Make Citizens Happy, or Do Happy Citizens Build Better Institutions?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(5), pages 1479-1505, October.
    10. Deckers Thomas & Falk Armin & Schildberg-Hörisch Hannah, 2016. "Nominal or Real? The Impact of Regional Price Levels on Satisfaction with Life," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 16(3), pages 1337-1358, September.
    11. Badunenko, Oleg & Cordero, Jose M. & Kumbhakar, Subal C., 2021. "Are you slacking? Where do you and your country stand in the happiness pursuit?," MPRA Paper 108316, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Gregor Gonza & Anže Burger, 2017. "Subjective Well-Being During the 2008 Economic Crisis: Identification of Mediating and Moderating Factors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1763-1797, December.
    13. Blanchflower, David G & Oswald, Andrew, 2011. "International Happiness," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 39, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    14. Roberta Distante, 2013. "Subjective Well-Being, Income and Relative Concerns in the UK," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(1), pages 81-105, August.
    15. Andrew E. Clark & Paul Frijters & Michael A. Shields, 2006. "Income and happiness: Evidence, explanations and economic implications," PSE Working Papers halshs-00590436, HAL.
    16. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve & James H. Fowler & Bruno S. Frey, 2010. "Genes, economics, and happiness," IEW - Working Papers 475, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
    17. Flèche, Sarah, 2015. "Distaste for centralization: evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in Switzerland," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 64999, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    18. Welsch, Heinz & Biermann, Philipp, 2014. "Electricity supply preferences in Europe: Evidence from subjective well-being data," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 38-60.
    19. Levinson, Arik, 2012. "Valuing public goods using happiness data: The case of air quality," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(9-10), pages 869-880.
    20. Chu-Chia Lin & Tsung-Chi Cheng & Shu-Chen Wang, 2014. "Measuring Subjective Well-Being in Taiwan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 17-45, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:16:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s11482-020-09849-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.