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.

Object Details

• ISBN: 9291906107
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: WIDER Discussion Paper ; No. 2004/07

Classification and Topics

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

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Veenhoven, Ruut
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
• (where): Helsinki
• (when): 2004

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/52848
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET