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The Measure Matters: An Investigation of Evaluative and Experience-Based Measures of Wellbeing in Time Use Data

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  • Paul Dolan

    (London School of Economics and Political Science)

  • Laura Kudrna

    (London School of Economics and Political Science)

  • Arthur Stone

    (University of Southern California Dornsife)

Abstract

Measures of subjective wellbeing (SWB) are used to understand how people think and feel about their lives and experiences. But the measure used matters to conclusions about how well people’s lives are going. This research compares life evaluations and experienced SWB using nationally representative time use diaries, advancing previous research because diaries are less subject to recall biases than other, more popular methods. Analyses of over 20,000 US residents in 2012–2013 show life evaluations are more closely associated with positive and negative affect than experienced meaningfulness. Women have higher SWB than men except for negative affect, older age groups have higher SWB than middle age groups except for experienced meaningfulness, and younger age groups report the lowest experienced meaning. The unemployed have low life evaluations but experiences of SWB are similar across employment groups. A complete picture of SWB requires a complete set of measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Dolan & Laura Kudrna & Arthur Stone, 2017. "The Measure Matters: An Investigation of Evaluative and Experience-Based Measures of Wellbeing in Time Use Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(1), pages 57-73, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:134:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-016-1429-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-016-1429-8
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    Cited by:

    1. Darío Moreno-Agostino & Francisco José Abad & Francisco Félix Caballero, 2022. "Evidence on the Bidirectional Relationship Between Health and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1561-1577, April.
    2. Darja Reuschke, 2019. "The subjective well-being of homeworkers across life domains," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 51(6), pages 1326-1349, September.
    3. Filip Fors Connolly & Tommy Gärling, 2022. "Mediators of Differences Between Employed and Unemployed in Life Satisfaction and Emotional Well-being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1637-1651, April.
    4. Jeehoon Han & Caspar Kaiser, 2024. "Time use and happiness: US evidence across three decades," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 1-25, March.
    5. Thi Truong An Hoang & Andreas Knabe, 2022. "Social Contacts, Unemployment, and Experienced Well-Being. Evidence from Time-Use Data," CESifo Working Paper Series 9953, CESifo.
    6. Thi Truong An Hoang & Andreas Knabe, 2021. "Time Use, Unemployment, and Well-Being: An Empirical Analysis Using British Time-Use Data," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 2525-2548, August.
    7. Sean Urwin & Yiu‐Shing Lau & Gunn Grande & Matt Sutton, 2023. "Informal caregiving, time use and experienced wellbeing," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(2), pages 356-374, February.
    8. Clémence Kieny & Gabriela Flores & Jürgen Maurer, 2021. "Assessing and decomposing gender differences in evaluative and emotional well-being among older adults in the developing world," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 189-221, March.
    9. Darío Moreno-Agostino & Alejandro de la Torre-Luque & Javier de la Fuente & Elvira Lara & Natalia Martín-María & Maria Victoria Moneta & Ivet Bayés & Beatriz Olaya & Josep Maria Haro & Marta Miret & J, 2021. "Determinants of Subjective Wellbeing Trajectories in Older Adults: A Growth Mixture Modeling Approach," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 709-726, February.
    10. Bussière, Clémence & Sirven, Nicolas & Tessier, Philippe, 2021. "Does ageing alter the contribution of health to subjective well-being?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    11. Tessa Peasgood & Jill Carlton & John Brazier, 2019. "A Qualitative Study of the Views of Health and Social Care Decision-Makers on the Role of Wellbeing in Resource Allocation Decisions in the UK," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Kreg Lindberg & Christopher Wolsko, 2019. "Assessing Well-Being Factors in a Growing Community: A Multi-Attribute Vignette Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 144(1), pages 315-335, July.
    13. Heng Qu, 2022. "Differential Associations Between Volunteering and Subjective Well-Being by Labor Force Status: An Investigation of Experiential and Evaluative Well-Being Using Time Use Data," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1737-1770, April.
    14. Hana Vonkova, 2019. "Life Satisfaction among Different Groups of Children: Self-Reports, Differential Scale Usage and Anchoring Vignettes," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 12(6), pages 2111-2136, December.
    15. Clémence Kieny & Gabriela Flores & Michael Ingenhaag & Jürgen Maurer, 2022. "Healthy, Wealthy, Wise, and Happy? Assessing Age Differences in Evaluative and Emotional Well-Being Among Mature Adults from Five Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 160(2), pages 1019-1050, April.
    16. David G. Blanchflower & Carol L. Graham, 2022. "The Mid-Life Dip in Well-Being: a Critique," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 287-344, May.
    17. Martikainen, Suvi Jonna & Kudrna, Laura & Dolan, Paul, 2022. "Moments of meaningfulness and meaninglessness: a qualitative inquiry into affective eudaimonia at work," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113970, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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