1. 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

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

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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?

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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?

11. Does language affect happiness level?
Average happiness
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?

12. 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?

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

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

15. Country trends in happiness – young people

16. Country trends in happiness – middle-aged

17. Country trends in happiness – seniors

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

19. 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?

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

21. Upward trends in happiness – young people

22. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

28. 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?

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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….)

32. 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?

33. 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

34. 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?

35. 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.

36. 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

37. Thank you