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To Anthony Rendon, happiness is serious business

Capitol Weekly

A new California Assembly committee is exploring the reasons why some people are happier with their lives than others. Headed by former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), the Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes has had two hearings this year.

“We don’t take happiness seriously,” Rendon said. “We think of happiness as some frivolous, silly thing but it’s really the only thing that matters.”

[…]

“This is an area where California and the United States are very, very far behind the rest of the world at looking at this issue.”

Economic Development and Adolescent Wellbeing in 139 Countries

Jose Marquez, Ferran Casas, Laura Taylor and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

Abstract

There is a positive association between the level of economic development and national levels of overall life satisfaction (OLS) in the adult population, with decreasing marginal returns. However, research shows no association in early adolescence and a negative association in middle adolescence. We hypothesize that this is due to the exclusion of low-income countries, where adolescent wellbeing is rarely collected. 2015–2019 Gallup World Poll data from 139 countries in middle adolescence (age 15–17; n 36,907) were analysed using linear regression to study the association between country levels of economic development and OLS, positive emotions (PE), and negative emotions (NE), and how this varies across economic development levels, and gender. Variations across economic development levels were compared with those observed in the adult population. Log per-capita GDP is positively associated with OLS and PE, although in high-income countries no association is observed for PE, and among females for OLS. For NE, a negative association is observed in lower-income countries and a positive association in higher-income countries. In this age group (age 15–17), the log per-capita GDP – OLS association is stronger in lower-income countries than in higher-income countries, but this pattern reverses with age in adulthood. A nuanced relationship exists between economic development and adolescent wellbeing, which varies across measures, levels of economic development, gender, and age -including notable differences compared to adults. Our study highlights the need for improving child and adolescent wellbeing data worldwide, especially in lower-income countries, to better understand how best to support wellbeing globally.

A research presentation by Prof Daniel J. Benjamin

Assessing data quality in a Big convenience sample of work wellbeing

William Fleming, George Ward and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

Abstract

Survey research is facing a multitude of challenges to its validity, especially for the study of labour and organisations. Online surveys with non-probability, convenience samples are simultaneously seen as part of the problem and a promising solution. Methodological literature argues that researchers should not think of data quality of online surveys in terms of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ but in degrees, with a series of recommendations scattered across disciplines for assessing and managing data limitations. We present a case study of a Big, multi-level, online, convenience sample of subjective work wellbeing, the Indeed Work Wellbeing Score survey (IWWS). IWWS is an ongoing international survey of subjective work wellbeing, with over 20,000,000 responses and growing. In this study we evaluate the UK subsample collected by October 2023 (N = 1,463,503). While a prima facie valuable source of data, the data generation process raises concerns of selection bias and inattentive responses. We evaluate the extent of bias, variation in bias, response rates, internal consistency and employer cluster-level reliability. We then turn to considering what types of research questions a researcher may want to answer with the data, especially unit comparisons at different survey units and inter-item relationships. Overall, we suggest that at the individual, employee level, the survey suffers from selection and binary bias in responses, but that at the employer-level IWWS offers a valuable resource to supplement existing random probability surveys of work and wellbeing. In our conclusions we offer practical methodological recommendations for others using Big, online convenience samples. Finally, we provide commentary on the strengths and limitations of the IWWS for ongoing and future research, as well as the value for businesses, jobseekers and policy-makers.

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Decomposing variance in job quality: the role of the workplace

Workplace wellbeing interventions: what works, what doesn’t and why?

journalism.co.uk

This year, a research paper went pretty viral on TikTok. It was seen by nearly a quarter of a million people and it was based on the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre work into mental health interventions in the workplace.

The key finding of the research was not too surprising: there is no evidence that individual interventions, like wellbeing apps and relaxation classes, improves employee’s mental health. It is organisational change which makes the difference.

Why are America’s youth so deeply unhappy?

USA TODAY

With the world’s largest economy and its highest GDP, you might think the United States would have the world’s happiest citizens. But you’d be wrong. This year, when the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network released its annual World Happiness Report, the U.S. had dropped out of the top 20, landing at 23rd on the list. The reason? America’s youth are deeply unhappy. What societal and cultural factors are at play here? Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre and a professor of economics and behavioral science, joins The Excerpt to share his insights into what truly makes people happy.

The state of wellbeing in California

Prof Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director of the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, California State Assembly’s Select Committee on Happiness & Public Policy Outcomes in May.

He shared data on the state of wellbeing in California, including a county-by-county breakdown of the ‘happiest’ counties in the state, as well as answered policymakers’ questions on wellbeing outcomes and the practicalities of creating a wellbeing-first policy approach.

Watch the full hearing on the Centre’s YouTube channel, courtesy of the California State Assembly.

With grateful thanks to Assembly Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon for the invitation.

Move over, Disneyland

POLITICO

It turns out Alpine County is the happiest place on earth. Well, at least the happiest place in California.

That’s according to data presented in former Speaker Anthony Rendon’s Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes on Wednesday. The data, explained by Oxford Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve and derived from the World Happiness Report, found the sparsely-populated county along the state’s Nevada border boasted the highest levels of happiness of any county in the state.

Creating a Psychosocial Safety Climate

Prof Maureen Dollard (University of South Australia) shared findings on building a Psychosocial Safety Climate (PSC) within workplaces at the latest of the Wellbeing Research Centre’s Seminar Series.

Her work examines the value of a PSC to employees and employers alike, and she discusses how the concept is being implemented within regional and national policies to improve wellbeing at work.

Watch the full presentation on the Centre’s YouTube channel.