Subjective measures of well-being

Arbeitspapier

This paper deals with three questions: (1) What are ‘subjective’ measures? (2) What is ‘well-being’? and (3) Are subjective measures of well-being of use for policymaking, in particular in developing nations? The first question is answered by making a distinction between two kinds of ‘subjectivity’: subjective substance and subjective assessment. On that basis nine types of indicators are discerned, varying in degree of subjectivity. The second question is answered by discerning four kinds of well-being. Examples are presented of indicators for each of these well-being variants. It is argued that there is little sense in combining these variants in one sum-score of overall well-being, since this involves adding apples and oranges. The much-used Human Development Index is rejected on that ground. In answer to the third question a case is made for subjective measures of well-being, in particular for using ‘happy life years’ as an indicator of final policy effectiveness.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN: 9291906107

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: WIDER Discussion Paper ; No. 2004/07

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; General Welfare; Well-Being ; Measurement and Analysis of Poverty ; Household Behavior and Family Economics: Other ; Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
• Thema: well-being ; objective ; subjective ; measurement ; quality of life ; worth ; happiness adjusted life years ; Lebensqualität

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Veenhoven, Ruut
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
• (wo): Helsinki
• (wann): 2004

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/52848
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 20.09.2024, 08:20 MESZ