Marion Burkimsher Affiliated to the University of Lausanne Cross-country variations in happiness: Trends, age differentials and anomalies Marion Burkimsher Affiliated to the University of Lausanne

Why examine the differentials? General interest… But also…. Is the factor that you’re correlating happiness with just picking up these differentials or trends?

Data “Taking all things together, how happy would you say you are? “ 18 countries with at least 6 out of 7 waves of data 13 Western European: Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Sweden 5 Eastern European: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. Estonia not in 2002 wave; Czech Republic not in 2006 wave

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Happiness at each wave, ages 18-69, top rank Rank each year 2002 Mean happiness score 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 1 Denmark 8.32 8.28 8.33 8.37 8.23 8.35 8.18 2 Switzerland 8.06 8.09 Finland 8.04 8.07 Norway 8.12 3 8.00 8.05 8.01 7.96 8.11 4 7.87 Ireland 7.94 7.92 7.93 7.95 8.10 5 Sweden 7.90 7.80 Netherlands 7.89 6 7.86 7.84 7.70 7.85 7.81 7 7.78 Spain 7.69 7.76 Belgium 7.74 8 7.75 7.73 7.67 7.63 7.62 Germany 7.65 9 United Kingdom 7.55 7.45 7.64 7.48 7.43 7.54 7.51 10 7.49 7.39 7.47 7.42 7.44 7.46 11 France 7.36 Slovenia 7.30 7.28 Poland 7.33 7.31 12 7.24 7.25 7.29 13 Portugal 7.04 7.15 7.10 7.14 7.26 14 Czech Republic 7.00 7.01 6.96 7.23 Estonia 6.95 7.07 7.13 15 6.97 6.81 6.82 6.93 6.92 6.91 7.05 16 6.37 6.65 6.66 6.78 6.77 17 Hungary 6.33 6.51 6.45 6.75 6.70 6.57 18 6.38 6.00 6.47 6.14

Happiness at each wave, ages 18-69, 2nd highest rank Rank each year 2002 Mean happiness score 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 1 Denmark 8.32 8.28 8.33 8.37 8.23 8.35 8.18 2 Switzerland 8.06 8.09 Finland 8.04 8.07 Norway 8.12 3 8.00 8.05 8.01 7.96 8.11 4 7.87 Ireland 7.94 7.92 7.93 7.95 8.10 5 Sweden 7.90 7.80 Netherlands 7.89 6 7.86 7.84 7.70 7.85 7.81 7 7.78 Spain 7.69 7.76 Belgium 7.74 8 7.75 7.73 7.67 7.63 7.62 Germany 7.65 9 United Kingdom 7.55 7.45 7.64 7.48 7.43 7.54 7.51 10 7.49 7.39 7.47 7.42 7.44 7.46 11 France 7.36 Slovenia 7.30 7.28 Poland 7.33 7.31 12 7.24 7.25 7.29 13 Portugal 7.04 7.15 7.10 7.14 7.26 14 Czech Republic 7.00 7.01 6.96 7.23 Estonia 6.95 7.07 7.13 15 6.97 6.81 6.82 6.93 6.92 6.91 7.05 16 6.37 6.65 6.66 6.78 6.77 17 Hungary 6.33 6.51 6.45 6.75 6.70 6.57 18 6.38 6.00 6.47 6.14

Happiness at each wave, ages 18-69, bottom ranking Rank each year 2002 Mean happiness score 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 1 Denmark 8.32 8.28 8.33 8.37 8.23 8.35 8.18 2 Switzerland 8.06 8.09 Finland 8.04 8.07 Norway 8.12 3 8.00 8.05 8.01 7.96 8.11 4 7.87 Ireland 7.94 7.92 7.93 7.95 8.10 5 Sweden 7.90 7.80 Netherlands 7.89 6 7.86 7.84 7.70 7.85 7.81 7 7.78 Spain 7.69 7.76 Belgium 7.74 8 7.75 7.73 7.67 7.63 7.62 Germany 7.65 9 United Kingdom 7.55 7.45 7.64 7.48 7.43 7.54 7.51 10 7.49 7.39 7.47 7.42 7.44 7.46 11 France 7.36 Slovenia 7.30 7.28 Poland 7.33 7.31 12 7.24 7.25 7.29 13 Portugal 7.04 7.15 7.10 7.14 7.26 14 Czech Republic 7.00 7.01 6.96 7.23 Estonia 6.95 7.07 7.13 15 6.97 6.81 6.82 6.93 6.92 6.91 7.05 16 6.37 6.65 6.66 6.78 6.77 17 Hungary 6.33 6.51 6.45 6.75 6.70 6.57 18 6.38 6.00 6.47 6.14

Happiness at each wave, ages 18-69, biggest movers Rank each year 2002 Mean happiness score 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 1 Denmark 8.32 8.28 8.33 8.37 8.23 8.35 8.18 2 Switzerland 8.06 8.09 Finland 8.04 8.07 Norway 8.12 3 8.00 8.05 8.01 7.96 8.11 4 7.87 Ireland 7.94 7.92 7.93 7.95 8.10 5 Sweden 7.90 7.80 Netherlands 7.89 6 7.86 7.84 7.70 7.85 7.81 7 7.78 Spain 7.69 7.76 Belgium 7.74 8 7.75 7.73 7.67 7.63 7.62 Germany 7.65 9 United Kingdom 7.55 7.45 7.64 7.48 7.43 7.54 7.51 10 7.49 7.39 7.47 7.42 7.44 7.46 11 France 7.36 Slovenia 7.30 7.28 Poland 7.33 7.31 12 7.24 7.25 7.29 13 Portugal 7.04 7.15 7.10 7.14 7.26 14 Czech Republic 7.00 7.01 6.96 7.23 Estonia 6.95 7.07 7.13 15 6.97 6.81 6.82 6.93 6.92 6.91 7.05 16 6.37 6.65 6.66 6.78 6.77 17 Hungary 6.33 6.51 6.45 6.75 6.70 6.57 18 6.38 6.00 6.47 6.14

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Does language affect happiness level? Average happiness 2002-2014 Young Swiss French 8.19 Middle Swiss German 8.15 Senior Swiss German 8.12 Young Swiss German 8.08 Middle Swiss French 8.06 Senior Swiss French 8.05 Middle Belgian Dutch 7.88 Young Belgian Dutch 7.86 Senior Belgian Dutch 7.81 Young Belgian French 7.65 Young France French 7.60 Middle Belgian French 7.50 Senior Belgian French 7.47 Middle France French 7.38 Senior France French 7.07 Does language affect happiness level? Comparison of French-speakers Conclusions: All Swiss are happy The French in France are significantly less happy Dutch-speaking Belgians are happier than French-speaking Belgians Young French-speaking Belgians & young French very similar Senior (50-69) French-speakers least happy age in all countries Is GDP the explanation?

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Recession hit young adults hardest Happiness by age group Recession hit young adults hardest

Recession hit young adults in Eastern Europe even harder Happiness by age group Recession hit young adults in Eastern Europe even harder

Country trends in happiness – young people

Country trends in happiness – middle-aged

Country trends in happiness – seniors

Conclusion Young adults across Europe are more similar to each other in happiness level than older people

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Downward trends in happiness – young people France, Ireland and Portugal dropped 6 places in happiness rank from 2002-2014 Happiness of young people in Hungary also dropped to a very low level

Upward trends in happiness – young people

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Association of happiness with GDP – young people, 2014 R² = 0.47097 Spain Finland Happier than expected Norway Slovenia Poland Less happy than expected UK Ireland Portugal

Association of happiness with GDP – seniors, 2014 Finland Happier than expected Ireland Poland Less happy than expected

Association of happiness with GDP – young people, 2014 French-speaking countries Switzerland R² = 0.47097 Happier than expected Belgium France Less happy than expected

Association of happiness with GDP – seniors, 2014 French-speaking countries R² = 0.83037 Happier than expected Switzerland Belgium Less happy than expected France

Conclusion GDP/pp appears to explain happiness of seniors more than young people

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Ratio of happiness score, seniors : young adults Ireland 102.8% Denmark 102.3% United Kingdom 102.0% Sweden 100.5% Switzerland 99.9% Norway 99.8% Netherlands 99.7% Belgium 99.0% Germany 98.6% Finland 97.7% Spain 94.3% France 93.2% Czech Republic 91.3% Portugal 88.9% Estonia 87.6% Slovenia 87.5% Poland 87.3% Hungary 84.9% Ratio of happiness score, seniors : young adults Average score over all waves The older generation are happier than young people in Ireland, Denmark, the UK and (marginally) Sweden Expressed another way, young people are (slightly) less happy than older people in these countries

Association of ratio happiness seniors:young and GDP/pp The wealthier the country, the happier are the older generation compared to young adults Seniors happier than expected / young less happy UK Ireland Norway Seniors not as happy as expected

Conclusion The UK and Ireland may be favouring the older generation at the expense of younger people (because they vote more and there are more of them….)

Country rankings, top, bottom, ups and downs Comparing the French-speakers, France, Belgium & Switzerland Young, middle-aged and seniors compared Young adults, trends up and down Effect of GDP on young and seniors Relative happiness of young compared to seniors Do generations become happier as they age?

Cohort trends in happiness Do generations become happier as they age? The older generation (Baby Boomer) has become happier as they aged from 50s to 60s

Cohort trends in happiness Do generations become happier as they age? The increase in happiness of the older generation is even more marked in Eastern Europe, though they don’t catch up with those younger. Did the sad ones die off?

Conclusion The Baby Boomer generation has become happier as they have aged from their 50s into their 60s. The younger generations have essentially stayed stable.

Conclusions Stability! Recession hit happiness levels in some countries much harder than others Young happier than old in general Generations more equal in happiness level the higher their GDP/pp Young generation more similar in happiness across Europe than older generations Happiness closely related to GDP/pp, especially for older people Baby Boomers are becoming happier as they age

Thank you drmarionb@gmail.com