The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness
Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers
|
| Article Citation |
Stevenson, Betsey, and Justin Wolfers. 2009. "The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness." American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 1(2): 190–225.
DOI:10.1257/pol.1.2.190
|
| Abstract |
The lives of women in the United States have improved over the past
35 years by many objective measures, yet we show that measures of
subjective well-being indicate that women's happiness has declined
both absolutely and relative to men. This decline in relative wellbeing
is found across various datasets, measures of subjective wellbeing,
demographic groups, and industrialized countries. Relative
declines in female happiness have eroded a gender gap in happiness
in which women in the 1970s reported higher subjective well-being
than did men. These declines have continued and a new gender gap
is emerging -- one with higher subjective well-being for men. (JEL
I31, J16, J28)
|
| Article Full-Text Access |
|
| AEJ Discussion Forum |
View Comments on This Article (0)
| Post A Comment on This Article (AEA Members)
|
| Additional Materials |
Download Data Set
|
| Authors |
Stevenson, Betsey (U PA)
Wolfers, Justin (U PA)
|
| JEL Classifications |
I31: General Welfare
J16: Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
J28: Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
|
|
|
|
