Longitudinal evidence for a midlife nadir in human well-being: results from four data sets
Terence C. Cheng, Andrew J. Oswald and Nattavudh Powdthavee
There is a large amount of cross-sectional evidence for a midlife low in the life cycle of human happiness and well-being (a `U shape?). Yet no genuinely longitudinal inquiry has uncovered evidence for a U-shaped pattern. Thus, some researchers believe the U is a statistical artefact. We re-examine this fundamental cross-disciplinary question. We suggest a new test. Drawing on four data sets, and only within-person changes in well-being, we document powerful support for a U shape in longitudinal data (without the need for formal regression equations). The article's methodological contribution is to use the first-derivative properties of a well-being equation. ? 2015 The Authors. The Economic Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Economic Society.
1 February 2017
The Economic Journal 127(599) , pp.126-142, 2017
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC5501292
This Journal article is published under the centre's Community Wellbeing programme.