Happiness as an expression of freedom and self-determination: a comparative multilevel analysis

Abstract: "In this paper, subjecitve well-being, as measured by survey questions on life satisfaction and happiness, is investigated from a sociological-comparative point of view. The central thesis is that happiness will be greater the more freedom a person has in her/his life decisions. It is hypothesized,therefore, that happiness will be higher in all those social contexts (micro and macro) which provide a person with greater freedom. Hence, happiness should be higher among the employed, among the persons in higher positions and with higher incomes, and happiness should also be higher in free market and democratic, and in less stratified societies. A comparative emperical analysis (multilevel regression) is carried out, using survey data on 41 nations from the World Value Survey 1995-97. The finding that happiness is related significantly to the degree of individual freedom is fully confirmed. It also has been proven that people who live in circumstances providng providing more freedom of

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource, 207-231 S.
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Veröffentlichungsversion ; In: Glatzer, Wolfgang (Hg.), Below, Susanne von (Hg.), Stoffregen, Matthias (Hg.): Challenges for quality of life in the contemporary world: advances in quality-of-life studies and research. 2004. S. 207-231. ISBN 1-4020-2890-3

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Challenges for quality of life in the contemporary world: advances in quality-of-life studies and research ; Bd. 24 ; Social indicators research series ; Bd. 24

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Psychologie

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Dordrecht
• (who): Kluwer Academic Publ
• (when): 2004
• Creator: Haller, Max ; Hadler, Markus
• Contributor: Glatzer, Wolfgang ; Below, Susanne von ; Stoffregen, Matthias

Further information

• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-235210
• Rights: Open Access unbekannt; Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:24 AM CEST