Archive for September 7th, 2010
The very serious American journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has published a study that partly contradicts the saying that money does not buy happiness. Produced by Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize for Economics in 2002, and his colleague at Princeton University, Angus Deaton, the study focuses on the well-being of 450,000 Americans surveyed in 2008 and 2009 for the Index-Gallup Healthways.
The authors come to conclusion that money makes much happiness … but to a certain extent. The threshold is set at $ 75,000 per year (approximately 58,600 euros), almost 4900 euros per month, although the study does not distinguish the number of people in the home. If, like 10% of Americans, your income is above this amount, you need through the trouble to earn more and therefore, unnecessary for the state to try to give you more. According to two economists, you will not be happier.
The impression of having a successful life
"Beyond the $ 75,000 in the contemporary United States (…), an increase in income did not bring either feel happy or to be relieved of unhappiness or stress, although this increase in income continues to improve evaluation that individuals make of their lives, "write the two economists installment payday loans. In other words, earn more money strengthens the feeling of having a successful life but does not necessarily happier.
"Maybe $ 75,000 is a limit beyond which increases revenue n'améliorent plus the ability of individuals to do what matters most to their emotional well-being, like spending time with those they are expensive, avoid pain and illness, and enjoy their leisure, "the authors claimed further.
To all others, the vast majority of the population whose income exceeds this threshold, their emotional well being is constrained by their financial concerns. A fortiori, poverty is evil "low income exacerbates the emotional pain that accompanies the misfortunes such as divorce or being in poor health or alone," write Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton.
Reassuring, the authors add all the same in an interview: 'like other studies on the well-being, we found that most people are quite happy and satisfied with their lives. "
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