Wellbeing
What are the factors that drive wellbeing?
How do we measure it and how does interacts with other central socio-economic variables?
Surveys in many countries conducted over decades show that, on average, people's happiness and life satisfaction have not changed much over the last fifty years, in spite of the large increase in real income per capita for many countries.
In other words, people are not getting any happier or feeling more satisfied with life even when the whole country is becoming richer than it has been in the past. What explains this missing link between economic growth and happiness? If economic growth does not lead to an increase in people's general sense of wellbeing, then what does?
Warwick researchers have been investigating what makes humans happy and satisfied with life since the late 1990s. Our research has explored the causes and consequences of wellbeing, as well as how we can use such information to inform leaders and policymakers around the world
Warwick has many researchers who have pushed forward our understanding, including several members of the World Wellbeing Panel (*) such as Professor Andrew Oswald who is largely responsible for the development of “happiness economics” in Europe.
Find out more about Professor Nattavudh (Nick) Powdthavee research on COVID-19
Researchers: Thomas Hills, Redzo Mujcic, Mahnaz Nazneen, Andrew Oswald*, Nattavudh Powdthavee*, Daniel Sgroi*
Hear more from Professor Daniel Sgroi on Measuring Happiness
Publications:
- 'The puzzle of the midlife crisis amid affluence'
Ahmed Tohamy, Nattavudh Powdthavee, Andrew Oswald, Redzo Mujcic, Sally McManus, Osea Giuntella, 2022
VOX EU, Centre for Economic Policy Research - 'The Midlife Crisis'
NBER Working Paper No. 30442 - 'Buying Happiness in an Unequal World: Rank of Income More Strongly Predict Well-being in More Unequal Countries'
Sarah Flèche, Anthony Lepinteur, and Nattavudh Powdthavee, 2020
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin - 'Trends in Extreme Distress in the USA'
David Blanchflower, and Andrew Oswald, 2020
American Journal of Public Health - 'Evolution of well-being and happiness after increases in consumption of fruit and vegetables.'
Redzo Mujcic, Andrew Oswald, 2016
American Journal of Public Health, 106(8), 1504-1510 - 'Is envy harmful to a society's psychological health and wellbeing? A longitudinal study of 18,000 adults. '
Redzo Mujcic, Andrew Oswald, 2018
Social Science & Medicine, 198, 103-111
Research from Professor Nattuvandh (Nick) Powdthavee on Covid-19
Podcasts:
- 'Why Are Rich Countries So Unhappy?'
Freakonomics Radio Network, No Stupid Questions (Episode 120), 23 October 2022
