Subjective Wellbeing and National Policy - OECD.org · Deakin University Subjective Wellbeing and...
27
Robert A. Cummins President, ISQOLS and Australian Centre on Quality of Life Deakin University Subjective Wellbeing and National Policy http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol
Transcript of Subjective Wellbeing and National Policy - OECD.org · Deakin University Subjective Wellbeing and...
Robert A. CumminsPresident, ISQOLS
and
Australian Centre on Quality of Life
Deakin University
Subjective Wellbeing and National Policy
http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol
Quality of Life
Objective QOL Subjective Wellbeing[happiness]
Objective Conditionse.g. Physical wealth, health, etc
Subjective Perceptionse.g. Satisfaction with wealth, health, etc
?
Subjective Wellbeing
A positive state of mind that involves the whole life experience
How do we measure it?
• Standard of living
• Health
• Achieving in life
• Relationships
• Safety
• Community connectedness
• Future security
• Spirituality/Religion
How satisfied are you with your-----?
Personal Wellbeing IndexInternational Wellbeing Group (2006)
http://www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol
We code all data to lie on a range from
0 100
Complete
dissatisfaction
Complete
satisfaction
In 2000
Deakin University and Australian Unityformed a partnership
Purpose: to create a quarterly index of subjective wellbeing for the Australian
population.
As an adjunct to the traditional economic indicators such as GDP
The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Surveys
Geographically representative sample
N = 2,000
Telephone interview
#1: April 2001
------------
#21: May 2009
Personal Wellbeing Index2001 - 2009
73.6
76.5
k
>S11
>S2, S4, S5
hg
Scores above this line are
significantly higher than S1
fedcba
Survey
Date
Major events
preceding survey
i j72
73
74
75
76
77
Strength
of
satisfaction
Maximum = 76.3
Current = 75.6
Minimum = 73.2
This represents a 3.0 percentage point variation
Essential for Policy Relevance
To establish the SWB normal range using population sample mean scores as data
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
76.4
73.4
SubjectiveWellbeing
Very satisfied
Very dissatisfied
N = 21 survey mean scoreMean = 74.90
Standard deviation = 0.75Normal range = 73.4 – 76.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
76.4
73.4
SubjectiveWellbeing
Very satisfied
Very dissatisfied
Group mean score is too low
Policy relevance: group mean scores can be compared against the SWB
normal range
Normal range
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
76.4
73.4
SubjectiveWellbeing
Very satisfied
Very dissatisfied
Group mean score
Policy relevance: group mean scores can be compared against the SWB
normal range
A group at this level needs
more resources
Normal range
The normative range can be used to identify geographic regions at risk
New South Wales
Above average Below averageAverage
The Personal Wellbeing Index can be used to determine the optimal size of towns
Personal Wellbeing Index
•Standard of living
•Health
•Achieving in life
•Relationships
•Safety
•Community connectedness
•Future security
•Spirituality/Religion
How satisfied are you with your-----?
Each domain has its own normal range
PWI Normal range for the domain ofCommunity Connection
Normal range
72.3
68.8
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Town/City Size
SWB
Community connection
Normal range
72.3
Largest Smallest
68.8
74.1
71.0
72.0
70.5
72.7
73.0
73.8
73.3
74.5
75.2
74.2 74.2
75.1
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Town/City Size
PWI
Normal range
72.3
Largest Smallest
68.8
74.1
71.0
72.0
70.5
72.7
73.0
73.8
73.3
74.5
75.2
74.2 74.2
75.1
64
66
68
70
72
74
76
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Town/City Size
PWI
30,000to
40,000
Community connection
The normal range can be used to measure the effect of policy on the SWB of the
population
Report 19.1
SWB vs geographic areas rated on----
% of people not born in Australia
% of people not born in Australia
76.5
73.6
Normal
range
76.5
76.6
76.1
76.2
75.175.2
76.4
76.3
76.6
74.6
76.0
75.3
74.8
74.8
74.6
75.174.9
74.5
72.5
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
4.74-
5.99
6.00-
6.99
7.00-
7.99
8.00-
8.91
9.00-
9.85
10.00-
10.78
11.00-
11.88
12.00-
12.89
13.00-
13.89
14.00-
15.98
16.00-
17.72
18.00-
19.46
20.00-
21.61
22.00-
23.70
24.00-
26.98
27.00-
29.92
30.00-
34.52
35.00-
39.23
40.00-
55.20
% not born in Australia
PWI
Levelof
satisfaction 73.6
76.5
79.3
76.175.5
81.5 81.5
72.3
68.1
73.6
75.5
73.9
71.8
76.9
75.2
68.8
65
70
75
80
85
PWI Living
Standard
Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future
Security
Normal ranges for domains
<6% not born in Australia
Levelof
satisfaction 73.6
76.5
79.3
76.175.5
81.5 81.5
72.3
68.1
73.6
75.5
73.9
71.8
76.9
75.2
68.8
72.2
76.1
81.180.4
73.9
77.4
76.574.1
65
70
75
80
85
PWI Living
Standard
Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future
Security
<6% not born in Australia
Levelof
satisfaction 73.6
76.5
79.3
76.175.5
81.5 81.5
72.3
68.1
73.6
75.5
73.9
71.8
76.9
75.2
68.8
72.2
76.1
81.180.4
73.9
77.4
76.574.1
65
70
75
80
85
PWI Living
Standard
Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future
Security
36-40% not born in Australia
Levelof
satisfaction 72.3
81.581.5
75.576.1
79.3
76.5
73.6
68.8
75.2
76.9
71.8
73.9
75.5
73.6
68.1
73.474.5
77.8
75.6
78.7 77.5
68.3
70.4
65
70
75
80
85
PWI Living
Standard
Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future
Security
40-55% not born in Australia
72.3
81.581.5
75.576.1
79.3
76.5
73.6
68.8
75.2
76.9
71.8
73.9
75.5
73.6
68.1
72.072.5
74.9
74.1
76.6 74.4
66.468.0
65
70
75
80
85
PWI Living
Standard
Health Achieving Relations Safety Community Future
Security
Levelof
satisfaction
Summary
1. The measurement of Subjective Wellbeing is simple, quick, reliable and valid
2. A crucial aspect for policy usefulness is to establish a normal range for each country.
3. Areas of disadvantage can be identified by reference to the normal range
4. Data from the Personal Wellbeing Index can be analysed either in combination or as separate domains
