consists of the characteristics of the individuals belonging to his reference group. The vast literature about happiness … reference groups in SWB-models. In this paper we employ the reference-extended model for incorporating in happiness studies the … concept of inequality in happiness or SWB. Finally, we plead for an extension of the present happiness paradigm by setting up …

We posit that feeling constrained impedes happiness. Under this view, utility and happiness maximization yield the same … optimal choices in a variety of standard economic decision problems, but utility and happiness can move in opposite directions … in response to exogenous shocks. Our theory (i) respects economists' and psychologists' notions of utility and happiness …

The Easterlin Paradox states that at a point in time happiness varies directly with income, both among and within … nations, but over time the long-term growth rates of happiness and income are not significantly related. The principal reason … vitiates the otherwise positive effect of own-income growth on happiness. Critics of the Paradox mistakenly present the …

Cross-disciplinary 'happiness research' has made big progress in the measurement of individual welfare. This … development makes it tempting to pursue the old dream of maximizing aggregate happiness as a social welfare function. However, we … postulate that the appropriate approach is not to maximize aggregate happiness in seeking to improve outcomes by direct policy …