Protagonists of values theory such as Inglehart—among others—have argued that values should be conceived of as relative priorities rather than absolute preferences. As such they insist on using ranking techniques of measurement which generates choice data. In this study, we aim at validating...

Using data from the long-running German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) 1984-2008, this paper analyses the effects of individual preferences and choices on subjective well-being (SWB). It is shown that preferences and choices relating to life goals/values, partner’s personality, hours of work,...

Using data from the long-running German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) 1984-2008, this paper analyses the effects of individual preferences and choices on subjective well-being (SWB). It is shown that preferences and choices relating to life goals/values, partner's personality, hours of work,...

Using data from national socio-economic panel surveys in Australia, Britain and Germany, this paper analyzes the effects of individual preferences and choices on subjective well-being (SWB). It is shown that, in all three countries, preferences and choices relating to life goals/values,...

Two-way causation issues are the bete noire of life satisfaction research. As acknowledged in several landmark reviews, many variables routinely reported as causes or determinants of life satisfaction could equally well be consequences, or perhaps both causes and consequences (Diener, 1984; Diener,...

Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Dry statistics / real lives -- 1.2 Welfare states / welfare regimes -- 1.3 Our aims and methods: ethics, institutions and panels -- 1.4 Our focus: three countries, ten years -- 1.5 The...

Two-way causation issues are the bete noire of life satisfaction research. As acknowledged in several landmark reviews, many variables routinely reported as causes or determinants of life satisfaction could equally well be consequences, or perhaps both causes and consequences (Diener, 1984; Diener,...

A crucial debate in policy-making as well as academic circles is whether there is a trade-off between economic efficiency and the size/generosity of the welfare state. One way to contribute to this debate is to compare the performance of "best cases" of different types of state. Arguably, in the...