eprintid: 3885
rev_number: 6
eprint_status: archive
userid: 69
dir: disk0/00/00/38/85
datestamp: 2018-01-24 12:12:28
lastmod: 2018-01-24 12:12:28
status_changed: 2018-01-24 12:12:28
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Bartolini, Stefano
creators_name: Bilancini, Ennio
creators_id: 
creators_id: ennio.bilancini@imtlucca.it
title: If not only GDP, what else? Using relational goods to predict the trends of subjective well-being
ispublished: pub
subjects: HC
divisions: EIC
full_text_status: none
keywords: Happiness; Social capital; Economic growth; Relational goods; Intrinsic motivations; Subjective well-being; Easterlin paradox; Life satisfaction; Sociability
abstract: In the last decade, a lively interdisciplinary discussion has grown around the evidence that, in the long-run, people’s subjective well-being is not significantly correlated with income growth. In other words, GDP growth does not predict the long run growth of subjective well-being. In this paper, we argue that there exists a different predictor of subjective well-being that works pretty well: sociability, i.e. the quality and quantity of social relationships (also referred to as relational goods). More precisely, we illustrate the role of sociability as a predictor of well-being, presenting the available evidence at both the within-country and the worldwide level. In particular, we discuss recent evidence from US cross-sectional data (General Social Survey, 1975–2004), cross-country time series (World Value Survey 1980–2005), and German panel data (German Socio-Economic Panel, 1996–2007). We conclude by indicating the most relevant open issues and suggesting future lines of research.
date: 2010
date_type: published
publication: International Review of Economics
volume: 57
number: 2
publisher: Springer
pagerange: 199-213
id_number: doi:10.1007/s12232-010-0098-1
refereed: TRUE
issn: 1865-1704
official_url: http://doi.org/10.1007/s12232-010-0098-1
citation:   Bartolini, Stefano and Bilancini, Ennio  If not only GDP, what else? Using relational goods to predict the trends of subjective well-being.  International Review of Economics, 57 (2).  pp. 199-213.  ISSN 1865-1704      (2010)