Research on happiness Name of the Student Name of the University Author Note

RESEARCH ON HAPPINESS 7 RESEARCH ON HAPPINESS Research on happiness Name of the Student Name of the University Author Note Answer to question 1 Economic evaluation of happiness is an evolving research concern for the current researchers. On the other hand, policy makers feel quite uncertain in case of deciding the factors which foster happiness, resulting in policies with ambiguous impact (Eastertive, 2013). Thus, it can be stated that since there are varied perspectives on the factors that generate happiness among people and as the factors are

Running head: RESEARCH ON HAPPINESS
Research on happiness
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Answer to question 1
Economic evaluation of happiness is an evolving research concern for the current
researchers. The factors accountable for people’s happiness have influencing impacts on the
economy. Happiness is the extensive measure of welfare economics. Factors, which determine
the people’s quality of life, are critically evaluated in this discussion on welfare economics.
Determination of these certain factors is a daunting task for the researchers. It is impossible to
draw same level of satisfaction from a product for every consumer. Dissatisfactions related to the
consumption raise questions on subjective quality of the wellbeing. People can acquire
dissatisfaction owing to social and political circumstances. Wide universal gap in the standard of
living can distort the happiness level of people through extrinsic impact (Joshanloo, 2014).
Happiness research regarding individual satisfaction level is generally believed to have
reasonable external impact on the policy makers. Despite extrinsic impact, inherent
characteristics and restricted rationality also control individual happiness (Levinson, 2013).
Happiness attributes in a nation are highly dependent on the governmental policies for welfare of
the people. On the other hand, policy makers feel quite uncertain in case of deciding the factors
which foster happiness, resulting in policies with ambiguous impact (Eastertive, 2013).
Measuring citizen satisfaction related to different aspects of life is a daunting task for the
government. Moreover, employment and economic conditions determine sustainability in the
happiness level in a nation. Thus, it can be stated that since there are varied perspectives on the
factors that generate happiness among people and as the factors are relative as per certain
situations, the research process is always beneficial to gain an overview of the specific factors
creating a positive impact on the people.

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Answer to question 2
Non-experimental type of research work never allows researchers to manipulate the
predictor variable used in the research study. Research outcome solely depends on the
observation, interpretation and analysis of the research variables (Frey & Stutzer, 2018). Both
quantitative and qualitative types of data can be used in this research domain. This non-
experimental study on happiness report has been developed owing to the following concerns:
To nullify ambiguous statistical relationship between variables
In the absence of definite statistical relationship between variables, non-experimental
research is highly recommendable (Blalock, 2018). The variables considered here are
income and happiness and they do not possess accurate statistical or mathematical
relationship. Increasing income level does not ensure the improvement of the people’s
wellbeing. This study mentions six key contributors which have influencing characters to
change the happiness trend.
Comparative advantage in handling the large data size
In the case of broad research domain as well as empirical study, non-experimental study
has a significant approach. This report covers data of 156 countries in terms of positive
effects, including laughter, contentment and enjoyment done on previous day, as well as
negative impacts comprising of sorrow, worry and resentment on yesterday. This study
includes the Gulp World Poll data during 2005 – 2011, resulting in that size of data gets
double invariably after seven years. This vast data source is expected to derive significant
happiness trend covering 2005 – 2011.

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Nullifying the influential impacts is the top priority
The concerned report has also applied weighted average method to ensure that happiness
trends would not be influenced by the largest countries. One major advantage of this
method is that population-weighted mean remains almost unaltered even if values related
to large countries get removed. Non – experimental researchers apply weighted average
to nullify the influence of the large value. This particular arithmetic measure reveals the
relative importance of each number which is already being averaged. Weighted average
method results in lower outcome compared to un-weighted average process.
In the course of experimental research work, the study keeps a set of variables that remain
unchanged while attempts to adjust the other set of variables in order to get a desirable outcome.
Data can be adjusted in accordance with the objective of the experiment. It is recognised as a
popular quantitative research method. This particular research is applicable when time is an
important concern to establish a link between cause and consequence. An experimental research
work is found to be effective when investigator affirms that an independent variable never gets
manipulated owing to favourable outcome. Majority of the experimental research is conducted in
the scientific studies. For example, researchers working in science laboratories do scientific
researches on experimental basis. Distorted data set generates not only undesired outcome but
also generates harmful effects on the researchers and institution whoever is engaged with the
research work.

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This happiness study completely relies on non-experimental data rather than on
experimental data due to following drawbacks of experimental research:
Lack of reliability on human response
Experimental studies can generate contrived outcome. Human response in terms of food,
personal choices, and health is hard to measure numerically. Regarding this specific international
report, responses had high chances to have significant influences due to wide geographical and
cultural differences (Crespo & Mesurado, 2015).
Influence of strong political and financial resources
Political and monetary influence may distort the true consequences of a research study.
As this report covers large number of countries, the political as well as financial conditions of the
powerful countries might hamper the report.
Constraints faced by primary researchers
Lack of opportunity in research work due to real-life predicament situation restrains the
size of data source and generates invalidate findings. As this report covers some interior regions,
data collection procedure might get hampered if experimental research would have been applied.

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Answer to question 3
The World Happiness report is prepared on the basis of a significant international survey.
Being intangible in nature, happiness is not easy to count. The responses acquired from the
survey therefore are ranked on a scale of 0 to 10. Application of scale measurement is highly
appropriate regarding this kind of multi-dimensional study. However, the report contains some
expected drawbacks. These are as follows:
Lack of explanations regarding worldwide inequality in the happiness standard
The report fails to analyze the significant difference between the ranks obtained by
developing and developed nations in the happiness index. Nordic countries are found to
be placed on the higher ranks compared to other continents. Growing impact of
globalization stretches out the inequality impact on the happiness (Rodriguez-Pose &
Berlepsch, 2014). Sizable universal economic disparity level along with evolving mental
depression level detains the developing countries to achieve a higher position in the
happiness index.
Paradoxical relationship between happiness and distress
Behavioral economics considers that happiness is related to individual mental aspects.
The study strives to figure out the level of happiness in terms of objective approach. This
objective approach towards the subjective well-being in case of anonymous is the prior
limitation (Soto, 2015). Further, happiness paradox is a high concern to all behavioral
researchers. The countries having higher ranks in the index are often reported to have
huge number of people who are suffering from depression (Senf & Liau, 2013). In
contrast, countries having lower rank in the report are reported to have a smaller number

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of depressed people. Powerful people are more likely to be less happy than less wealthier
persons. This paradoxical outcome troubles happiness studies.
Recommendations
 Paradoxical outcomes should be shaped for the future of happiness studies.
Amalgamation of behavioral economics to neuroscientific approach will never point out
the economic evaluation of happiness.
 Inclusion of predictable behavioral analytics needs to be prohibited at entire level while
preparing the report on happiness aspects. This results in manipulated assessment of
human satisfaction level.
 Government should formulate welfare policies aiming at bringing happiness to the people
that should persist in the long run.
 It should be ensured that the nature of respondents should be neutral in nature. Presence
of any influential factor may bring discrepancy in the outcome.
 Policy makers need to observe whether economic growth is pragmatically capable to
bring progress in happiness. Both subjective and objective approaches should be given
equal weightage.

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References
Blalock Jr, H. M. (2018). Causal inferences in nonexperimental research. UNC Press Books.
Crespo, R. F., & Mesurado, B. (2015). Happiness economics, eudaimonia and positive
psychology: From happiness economics to flourishing economics. Journal of Happiness
Studies, 16(4), 931-946.
Easterlin, R. A. (2013). Happiness, growth, and public policy. Economic Inquiry, 51(1), 1-15.
Ferrer‐i‐Carbonell, A., & Ramos, X. (2014). Inequality and happiness. Journal of Economic
Surveys, 28(5), 1016-1027.
Frey, B. S., & Stutzer, A. (2018). Economics of happiness. Springer International Publishing.
Joshanloo, M. (2014). Eastern conceptualizations of happiness: Fundamental differences with
western views. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(2), 475-493.
Levinson, A. (2013). Happiness, behavioral economics, and public policy (No. w19329).
National Bureau of Economic Research.
Rodríguez-Pose, A., & Von Berlepsch, V. (2014). Social capital and individual happiness in
Europe. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(2), 357-386.
Senf, K., & Liau, A. K. (2013). The effects of positive interventions on happiness and depressive
symptoms, with an examination of personality as a moderator. Journal of Happiness
Studies, 14(2), 591-612.
Soto, C. J. (2015). Is happiness good for your personality? Concurrent and prospective relations
of the big five with subjective well‐being. Journal of personality, 83(1), 45-55.