Nous avons présenté le 22 septembre dernier notre dernier ouvrage, Le Bonheur est sur Twitter. Nous vous invitons à découvrir la présentation de Thomas Renault en vidéo, et à explorer vous-même les tendances à l’aide de notre baromètre en ligne.
Deux publications externes importantes ce mois-ci : le Good Childhood Report britannique, qui nous rappelle qu’il manque sans doute une vision aussi complète et synthétique du bien-être des enfants et adolescents en France, et la mise en accès libre du Handbook for Wellbeing Policy-making.
Observatoire
Baromètre Twitter
Suite à la présentation de notre Opuscule Le Bonheur est sur Twitter (en vidéo), notre Baromètre interactif est désormais en ligne.
Notre analyse repose sur les comptes suivis par les personnes qui postent des messages. Vous avez des questions ? Vous voudriez suggérer des dimensions supplémentaires ? Proposez-nous des comptes structurants !
Early lessons in social skills and self-control bring lifelong benefits
Taxpayers have a good reason to invest in child development, aside from benevolence: their wallets. This column summarises the effects of a randomised trial from the 1980s, in which boys with behavioural problems were given social skills training. The decades-long follow-up, including administrative data, shows that teaching at-risk boys better social skills led to a cascade of lifelong effects: one dollar invested in this programme at age 8 led to an estimated $11 in benefits at age 39.
Yann Algan et al., « Early Lessons in Social Skills and Self-Control Bring Lifelong Benefits », CEPR, consulté le 28 septembre 2022, https://cepr.org/voxeu/columns/early-lessons-social-skills-and-self-control-bring-lifelong-benefits.
A Handbook for Wellbeing Policy-Making
L’ouvrage de Paul Frijters et Christian Krekel est désormais disponible en libre accès.
Paul Frijters et Christian Krekel, A Handbook for Wellbeing Policy-Making: History, Theory, Measurement, Implementation, and Examples (Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2021), https://global.oup.com/academic/product/a-handbook-for-wellbeing-policy-making-9780192896803?cc=gb&lang=en&.
UK Good Childhood Report
Le rapport annuel de la Childrens’ Society sur le bien-être des enfants et des adolescents au Royaume-Uni vient de paraître. Les résultats en sont inquiétants : la satisfaction des enfants et adolescents continue de baisser, l’apparence, les relations sociales et l’école constituant des points de plus en plus douloureux. Les filles sont particulièrement affectées. Un point essentiel du rapport est que les lieux et sources d’insatisfaction ne sont souvent pas directement visibles par les adultes, voire sont vite écartées quand les enfants se confient.
Lire le rapport et la synthèse du What Works Wellbeing.
À notre avis, un travail similaire en France relèverait bon nombre de points d’action pour le bien-être des enfants.
Répertoire des expériences pré-enregistrées
E. Dunn et D. Folk ont mis en place un document partagé recensant toutes les expériences et analyses sur le bien-être ayant publié un plan d’analyse (pre-registered). À consulter et à compléter.
Lu sur le web
Structure du bien-être et satisfaction dans la vie en général
Résumé : Quelle est la structure du bien-être ? Peut-on parler d’un concept unidimensionnel ou bien doit-on y distinguer plusieurs dimensions ? Nous mettons à profit le module spécifique rotatif « bien-être » de l’enquête Statistiques sur les ressources et conditions de vie (SRCV) pour étudier en détail cette problématique. Nous nous restreignons aux actifs occupés âgés de 16 à 64 ans afin de pouvoir mobiliser les questions relatives au travail. Dans l’enquête « Statistiques sur les ressources et conditions de vie » (SRCV) 2018, 18 questions traitent d’aspects relatifs au bien-être et une question supplémentaire porte directement sur la satisfaction à propos de sa vie en général. Dans ce travail, nous rappelons en premier lieu quelques éléments conceptuels et métrologiques essentiels de la mesure du bien-être : il s’agit d’un concept contemporain qui puise ses racines dans une tradition philosophique traitant de la question du bonheur (eudaemonia) et du plaisir (hedonia). Sa mesure se fonde généralement sur un volet évaluatif de plusieurs aspects de la vie, et un volet hédonique, sensoriel et psychologique. Au-delà de cette conceptualisation, il ressort que les implémentations dans les grandes enquêtes représentatives ne suivent pas nécessairement les questionnaires standards de la psychologie. Nous montrons que dans le module SRCV, le bien-être comporte au moins quatre composantes distinctes (et sept si l’on désire davantage de détail), au sein desquelles on peut composer deux groupes approchant les dimensions classiques évaluative et hédonique. Enfin, nous montrons que la satisfaction relative à la vie est très fortement liée à des satisfactions relatives aux aspects matériels de la vie puis dans une moindre mesure à des aspects de santé mentale. Bien qu’il paraisse naturel de considérer qu’une question générale sur la satisfaction dans la vie puisse refléter le bien-être ou le bonheur, il faut garder à l’esprit ces limitations dans l’interprétation que l’on fait des réponses à cette question.
Stéphane Legleye, « Structure du bien-être et satisfaction dans la vie en général – Documents de travail », Documents de travail (Paris: Insee, 27 septembre 2022), https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/6536222.
Regain d’optimisme des jeunes en 2022 après deux ans de pandémie
Résumé : La jeunesse a été durement éprouvée par les deux ans de pandémie : insertion professionnelle ralentie, perte de liens sociaux dans une période de la vie où ceux-ci sont essentiels, dégradation de la santé psychique. En mars 2022, alors que le virus semble moins menaçant, mais que débute la guerre en Ukraine, le moral des 18-30 ans s’améliore. Les jeunes Français se montrent ainsi plus positifs sur leur vie actuelle et leurs perspectives. Au-delà de l’effet du retour à la vie normale, la reprise du marché du travail semble nourrir ce regain d’optimisme. Quelques stigmates de la période subsistent toutefois : des sentiments de solitude épisodiques plus fréquents et, chez les jeunes femmes, une part d’états d’esprit positifs en retrait de 6 points par rapport à la période pré-crise.
Sandra Hoibian et Jörg Müller, « Regain d’optimisme des jeunes en 2022 après deux ans de pandémie », INJEP Analyses & synthèses (Paris: INJEP et Crédoc, septembre 2022), https://injep.fr/publication/regain-doptimisme-des-jeunes-en-2022-apres-deux-ans-de-pandemie/.
Occupational Status and Life Satisfaction in the UK: The Miserable Middle?
Abstract: We use British panel data to explore the link between occupational status and life satisfaction. We find puzzling evidence, for men, of a U-shaped relationship in cross-section data: employees in medium-status occupations report lower life satisfaction scores than that of employees in either low- or high-status occupations. This puzzle disappears in panel data: the satisfaction of any man rises as he moves up the status ladder. The culprit seems to be immobility: the miserable middle is caused by men who (in our data) have always been in medium-status occupations. There is overall little evidence of a link between occupational status and life satisfaction for women.
Yannis Georgellis et al., « Occupational Status and Life Satisfaction in the UK: The Miserable Middle? », IZA Discussion Paper (Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), juin 2022), https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/izaizadps/dp15360.htm.
Fiscal Policies, Decentralization, and Life Satisfaction
Abstract: This paper studies the relationship between wellbeing and governments’ fiscal policies across the world, including government decentralization, over the period between 1999 and 2018. In contrast to the previous literature on wellbeing, the current paper investigates four forms of life satisfaction (SL) as the dependent variable and tries to answer whether different types of public spending program, different types of taxes and the level of fiscal decentralization influence wellbeing as measured by life satisfaction. The analysis uses survey data from two sources of life satisfaction variables: The World Values Survey and the European Values Survey, both of which use a ten-level SL scale. I treat these satisfaction values in four ways, resulting in four robust models (two logit models, one Ordinary Least Squares model and one stereotype logistic model). The same control variables and fixed effects are used in all models. The results indicate that personal individual taxes, labor taxation (income and payroll taxes), indirect taxes on goods and expenditures on environmental protection and education have a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction in all four models. Likewise in all four models, taxes on property and expenditures on health and culture are significant and negative. Furthermore, while increased decentralization (in the form of greater vertical fiscal imbalance and expenditure decentralization) improves the likelihood of having a life satisfaction greater than six (of ten), the effect of transfers to subnational governments’ own revenue is significant and negative in all models.
Manuela Ortega Gil, « Fiscal Policies, Decentralization, and Life Satisfaction », International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU (International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, 4 octobre 2021), https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/aysispwps/paper2114.htm.
Caring for Carers? The Effect of Public Subsidies on the Wellbeing of Unpaid Carers
Abstract: We study the effect of long-term care (LTC) subsidies and supports on the wellbeing of unpaid caregivers. We draw on evidence from a policy intervention, that universalized previously means-tested caregiving supports in Scotland, known as free personal care (FPC). We document causal evidence of an increase in the well-being (happiness) of unpaid carers after the introduction of FPC. Our estimates suggest economically relevant improvements in the happiness (12pp increase in subjective wellbeing) among caregivers exposed to FPC and that provide at least 35 hours of care per week. Consistently, these results are larger among women and non-actively employed caregivers (17pp increase in happiness). Estimates are not driven by selection into caregiving (we find similar wellbeing effects among caregivers at baseline and caregivers throughout the sample), and are driven by income effects of FPC among caregivers.
Joan Costa-Font, D’Amico Francesco, et Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto, « Caring for Carers? The Effect of Public Subsidies on the Wellbeing of Unpaid Carers », IZA Discussion Paper (Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), juin 2022), https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/izaizadps/dp15369.htm.
Locus of control and subjective well-being: Panel evidence from Australia
Abstract: This paper’s aim is to propose a mediation framework and test whether lifestyle choices and social capital are pathways through which locus of control (LoC) affects subjective well-being. Using longitudinal data for Australia, we find that life satisfaction and mental health are explained by direct and indirect effects of LoC. The direct effect is positive, indicating that individuals with an internal LoC have higher levels of life satisfaction and mental health. We also show that physical activity and social interaction are two pathways linking an internal LoC to higher levels of well-being. Our findings provide new insights into the relationship between LoC and subjective well-being and suggest that, if the aim of policy is to improve well-being, the focus should be on enabling people to develop an internal LoC. This may lead to higher well-being both through the identified channels and, more importantly, through the direct channel of LoC.
Dusanee Kesavayuth, Dai Binh Tran, et Vasileios Zikos, « Locus of Control and Subjective Well-Being: Panel Evidence from Australia », PLOS ONE 17, no 8 (31 août 2022): e0272714, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272714.
Does Happiness Increase in Old Age? Longitudinal Evidence from 20 European Countries
Abstract: Several studies indicate that happiness follows a U-shape over the life cycle: Happiness decreases after the teenage years until reaching its nadir in middle age. A similar number of studies views the U-shape critically, stating that it is the result of the wrong controls or the wrong model. In this paper, we study the upward-pointing branch of the U-shape, tracing the happiness of European citizens 50 and older over multiple waves. Consistent with a U-shape around middle age, we find that happiness initially increases after the age of 50, but commonly stagnates afterwards and eventually reverts at high age. This pattern is generally observed irrespective of the utilized happiness measure, control variables, estimation methods, and the consideration of selection effects due to mortality. However, the strength of this pattern depends on the utilized happiness measure, control variables, and on mortality effects. The general pattern does not emerge for all countries, and is not always observed for women.
Christoph K. Becker et Stefan T. Trautmann, « Does Happiness Increase in Old Age? Longitudinal Evidence from 20 European Countries », Journal of Happiness Studies, 2 septembre 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00569-4.
When income differences hurt or excite: The nonlinear effect of regional inequality on subjective wellbeing
Abstract: Combining information from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions and the European Social Survey, we investigate the relationship between subjective well-being and income inequality using regional inequality indicators and individual data. We assume that inequality aversion and perception of social mobility affect the impact of regional inequality on subjective well-being in opposite directions. We find evidence of an inverse U-shaped effect of inequality, where inequality starts to have a positive effect on subjective well-being that becomes negative with a switch point before the average of the Gini index for the entire sample. The rationale for our nonlinear finding is that Hirschman’s tunnel effect (and the positive effect of perceived social mobility) prevails for low levels of inequality, while inequality aversion and negative relative income effects are relatively stronger when inequality is higher. Robustness checks on different sample splits are consistent with the hypothesis of the two drivers.
Leonardo Becchetti, Francesco Colcerasa, et Fabio Pisani, « When Income Differences Hurt or Excite: The Nonlinear Effect of Regional Inequality on Subjective Wellbeing », Review of Income and Wealth n/a, no n/a, consulté le 8 septembre 2022, https://doi.org/10.1111/roiw.12608.
Time spent playing video games is unlikely to impact well-being
Abstract: Video games are a massively popular form of entertainment, socializing, cooperation and competition. Games’ ubiquity fuels fears that they cause poor mental health, and major health bodies and national governments have made far-reaching policy decisions to address games’ potential risks, despite lacking adequate supporting data. The concern–evidence mismatch underscores that we know too little about games’ impacts on well-being. We addressed this disconnect by linking six weeks of 38 935 players’ objective game-behaviour data, provided by seven global game publishers, with three waves of their self-reported well-being that we collected. We found little to no evidence for a causal connection between game play and well-being. However, results suggested that motivations play a role in players’ well-being. For good or ill, the average effects of time spent playing video games on players’ well-being are probably very small, and further industry data are required to determine potential risks and supportive factors to health.
Matti Vuorre et al., « Time spent playing video games is unlikely to impact well-being », Royal Society Open Science 9, no 7: 220411, consulté le 13 septembre 2022, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220411.
Smoking Bans, Leisure Time and Subjective Well-being
Abstract: During 2007 and 2008 smoking bans were gradually implemented in all of Germany’s sixteen federal states to prohibit smoking in bars, restaurants, and dance clubs. Aimed at reducing smoking and improving health, tobacco control policies are often controversially discussed as they entail potential side effects. We exploit regional variation to identify effects of smoking bans on life satisfaction and leisure time satisfaction. Difference-in-differences estimates reveal that predicted smokers who used to visit bars regularly are less satisfied with life and leisure time, following the enforcement of a smoking ban. We show that changes in use of leisure time likely explain these findings. On the contrary, predicted non-smokers who did not visit bars and restaurants frequently benefit from the smoking bans, as their satisfaction with leisure time increases. They show an increase in hours spent on free-time activities and are more likely to go out with smoking bans in effect.
Cornelia Chadi, « Smoking Bans, Leisure Time and Subjective Well-Being », Journal of Happiness Studies, 19 septembre 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00580-9.
Do Pre-Registration and Pre-analysis Plans Reduce p-Hacking and Publication Bias?
Abstract: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are increasingly prominent in economics, with pre-registration and pre-analysis plans (PAPs) promoted as important in ensuring the credibility of findings. We investigate whether these tools reduce the extent of p-hacking and publication bias by collecting and studying the universe of test statistics, 15,992 in total, from RCTs published in 15 leading economics journals from 2018 through 2021. In our primary analysis, we find no meaningful difference in the distribution of test statistics from pre-registered studies, compared to their non-pre-registered counterparts. However, pre-registered studies that have a complete PAP are significantly less p-hacked. These results point to the importance of PAPs, rather than pre-registration in itself, in ensuring credibility.
Abel Brodeur et al., « Do Pre-Registration and Pre-Analysis Plans Reduce p-Hacking and Publication Bias? » (MetaArXiv, 11 août 2022), https://doi.org/10.31222/osf.io/uxf39.
Taking 10 leaps for Humanity
Pour le compte de Bayer, le Happiness Research Institute a évalué l’impact en termes de satisfaction dans la vie de 10 innovations radicales dans le domaine de la médecine et de l’agriculture. C’est à notre connaissance un des premiers exemples où l’espérance de vie ajustée pour la satisfaction (WELLBY, ici WALY) est utiliée comme métrique principale d’apprécation des impacts dans une perspective fortement prospective.
Michael Birkjær, Micah Kaats, et Alejandro Rubio, « Taking 10 Leaps », Leaps by Bayer (Berlin: Leaps by Bayer and Happiness Research Institute, 2022), https://leaps.bayer.com/sites/g/files/vrxlpx30251/files/2022-06/Taking%2010%20leaps%20for%20humanity_v5.1.pdf.
Group-Specific Redistribution, Inequality, and Subjective Well-Being in China
Abstract: Using survey data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) from 2010 to 2018, this paper analyzes the relationship between income inequality, group-specific income redistribution, and subjective well-being among China’s urban, rural, and migrant populations. Using narrowly defined reference groups, our findings suggest that within-group inequality does not significantly impact Chinese people. By contrast, a larger income gap between urban and rural residents is positively correlated with the rural residents’ subjective well-being, which we interpret as a tunnel effect, i.e. a positive signal concerning their own future income. Compared to migrants, however, our results hint at a negative status effect for the rural residents. More importantly, the group-specific redistribution inherent in the Hukou system that widens the income gap between urban and rural residents makes rural residents worse off. The existing Hukou system thus fails to lend support to the ‘harmonious society’ development strategy of the Chinese government.
Peihua Deng et Ronnie Schöb, « Group-Specific Redistribution, Inequality, and Subjective Well-Being in China », CESifo Working Paper Series (CESifo, 2022), https://econpapers.repec.org/paper/cesceswps/_5f9847.htm.
Wellbeing: Alternative Policy Perspectives
Presentation: Governments in liberal democracies pursue social welfare, but in many different ways. The wellbeing approach instead asks: Why not focus directly on increasing measured human happiness? Why not try to improve people’s overall quality of life, as it is subjectively seen by citizens themselves?
The radical implications of this stance include shifting attention to previously neglected areas (such as mental health and ‘social infrastructure’ services) and developing defensible measures of overall wellbeing or quality of life indicators. Can one ‘master’ concept of wellbeing work to create more holism in policy-making? Or should we stick with multiple metrics? These debates have been live in relation to an alternative ‘capacities’ approaches, and they are well-developed in health policymaking. Most recently, the connections between wellbeing and political participation have come into sharper focus.
Wellbeing remains a contested concept, one that can be interpreted and used differently, with consequences for how it is incorporated into policy decisions. By bringing together scholars from economics, psychology and behavioural science, philosophy and political science, the authors explore how different disciplinary approaches can contribute to the study of wellbeing and how this can shape policy priorities.
Timothy Besley et Irene Bucelli, Wellbeing, LSE Press (LSE Press, 2022), https://doi.org/10.31389/lsepress.well.