This paper examines a famous puzzle in social science. Why do some nations report such high happiness? Denmark, for … Italy do relatively poorly. Yet the explanation for this ranking - one that holds even after adjustment for GDP and socio …

. This entry also briefly discusses: recent history of well-being measurement; what makes people better off in theory; the …

, evaluations tend to be dominated by "social comparison" - what is happening to the incomes of others. An increase in the incomes … of others undercuts the tendency for happiness to grow with an increase in one's own income, and happiness remains fairly …, and the greater the shortfall, the less one's happiness. There is thus an asymmetry in the psychological roots of income …

-being ; happiness ; satiation ; basic needs ; Easterlin paradox …

most countries around the world. Turning to the relationship between countries, we show that average life satisfaction is … higher in countries with greater GDP per capita. The magnitude of the satisfaction-income gradient is roughly the same …-being. Finally, studying changes in satisfaction over time, we find that as countries experience economic growth, their citizens …

most countries around the world. Turning to the relationship between countries, we show that average life satisfaction is … higher in countries with greater GDP per capita. The magnitude of the satisfaction-income gradient is roughly the same …-being.Finally, studying changes in satisfaction over time, we find that as countries experience economic growth, their citizens' life …

We show that hosting the Olympic Games in 2012 had a positive impact on the life satisfaction and happiness of …