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Time-Use and Subjective Well-Being: Is Diversity Really the Spice of Life?

In: Time Use in Economics

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  • Naomi Friedman-Sokuler
  • Claudia Senik

Abstract

Using the American and the French time-use surveys, we examine whether people have a preference for a more diversified mix of activities, in the sense that they experience greater well-being when their time schedule contains many different activities rather than is concentrated on a very small number. This could be due to decreasing marginal utility, as is assumed for goods consumption, if each episode of time is conceived as yielding a certain level of utility per se. With returns to specialization, people would then face a trade-off between efficiency and diversity in choosing how to allocate time. We examine these issues and investigate potential gender differences, considering both instantaneous feelings and life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Naomi Friedman-Sokuler & Claudia Senik, 2023. "Time-Use and Subjective Well-Being: Is Diversity Really the Spice of Life?," Research in Labor Economics, in: Time Use in Economics, volume 51, pages 1-33, Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:rleczz:s0147-912120230000051001
    DOI: 10.1108/S0147-912120230000051001
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time allocation; time-use diversity; subjective well-being; life satisfaction; momentary utility; gender;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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