Review of Behavioral Economics > Vol 4 > Issue 4

Experienced Life Cycle Satisfaction in Europe

Robson Morgan, University of Southern California, USA, robsonhmorgan@gmail.com , Kelsey J. O'Connor, University of Southern California, USA, kelseyoc@gmail.com
 
Suggested Citation
Robson Morgan and Kelsey J. O'Connor (2017), "Experienced Life Cycle Satisfaction in Europe", Review of Behavioral Economics: Vol. 4: No. 4, pp 371-396. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/105.00000070

Publication Date: 20 Dec 2017
© 2017 R. Morgan and K. J. O’Connor
 
Subjects
 
Keywords
Life cycleLife satisfactionLife cycle satisfactionSubjective well-beingWell-beingAging
 

Share

Download article
In this article:
1. Introduction 
2. Data and Methodology 
3. Results 
4. Conclusion 
A. Summary Statistics 
References 

Abstract

The average pattern of experienced life satisfaction over the life cycle for the 17 European countries included in this study resembles a wave like M-shape that is positively tilted. The M-shape arises because many of the countries share the following characteristics: a local maximum in life satisfaction around age 30, a local minimum at age 50, and declining life satisfaction after age 75. It is also commonly the case that male life satisfaction improves relative to female life satisfaction as people age, and more educated people report higher levels of life satisfaction throughout the life cycle. Although these characteristics are shared by many of the countries, there is no uniform life cycle pattern in life satisfaction across all countries. The analysis includes cohort controls, is nonparametric, and uses a single dataset (Eurobarometer) and the same methodology for all countries.

DOI:10.1561/105.00000070

Companion

Review of Behavioral Economics, Volume 4, Issue 4 Special Issue: Honoring Richard A. Easterlin
See the other articles that are also part of this special issue.

Experienced Life Cycle Satisfaction in Europe: A Comment , Review of Behavioral Economics, Volume 7, Issue 2 10.1561/105.00000120