In the nationally representative UK Household Longitudinal Survey (“Understanding Society”), for example, average life satisfaction, measured on a scale from one to seven whereby higher values denote higher wellbeing, was not significantly higher in 2016 than in 1996 (5.3 vs. 5.2), despite large rises in real incomes.
Couldn’t quickly chase down source data up through 2016--best I could find was this through 2008.
Belatedly—thanks. I’m not sure what to make of this. That survey is quite large (30-50,000 people p.a.), so much larger than Eurobarometer, though smaller than ONS (around 150,000). Eurobarometer shows a large rise 1996-2016 (7.19 to 7.74/10), and the later-starting ONS shows a smallish but non-negligible rise 2012-2016 (7.45 to 7.67/10). Possibly again the question wording might have an influence.
But 5.2 to 5.3 is a rise, even if (statistically?) insignificant. It’s unfortunate that the paper cites other surveys (in other countries) which confirm its claim of no effect, but doesn’t cite these other UK surveys which suggest the opposite.
Since the ONS survey is much the largest, and also kind of confirmed by its findings on happiness (i.e. positive emotions), perhaps the reality is that there has indeed been a substantial rise since 2012, but only a small rise, or perhaps none, before that.
Also just came across this claim in this paper:
Couldn’t quickly chase down source data up through 2016--best I could find was this through 2008.
Belatedly—thanks. I’m not sure what to make of this. That survey is quite large (30-50,000 people p.a.), so much larger than Eurobarometer, though smaller than ONS (around 150,000). Eurobarometer shows a large rise 1996-2016 (7.19 to 7.74/10), and the later-starting ONS shows a smallish but non-negligible rise 2012-2016 (7.45 to 7.67/10). Possibly again the question wording might have an influence.
But 5.2 to 5.3 is a rise, even if (statistically?) insignificant. It’s unfortunate that the paper cites other surveys (in other countries) which confirm its claim of no effect, but doesn’t cite these other UK surveys which suggest the opposite.
Since the ONS survey is much the largest, and also kind of confirmed by its findings on happiness (i.e. positive emotions), perhaps the reality is that there has indeed been a substantial rise since 2012, but only a small rise, or perhaps none, before that.