What (If Anything) Do Satisfaction Scores Tell Us about the Intertemporal Change in Living Conditions

This paper looks at the information content of satisfaction scores. It is argued that the information content depends on the extent to which people adapt to living conditions in general. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the estimation of a dynamic panel data model provides evidence that adaptation takes place within a relatively short window of time: changes in living conditions are, for the most part, absorbed by an adjustment of the adaptation level within one year. This leads to the conclusion that the information content of satisfaction scores accentuates recent changes in living conditions. Remote changes are notcaptured by the according survey questions, even if these changes have long-term impact on living conditions. The usefulness of satisfaction scores as an indicator of people's living conditions is discussed.adaptation, dynamic panel data model, subjective well-being, satisfaction

Is Posner Right? An Empirical Test of the Posner Argument for Transferring Health Spending from Old Women to Old Men

Posner (1995) proposes the redistribution of health spending from old women to old men to equalize life expectancy. His argument is based on the assumption that the woman's utility is higher if her husband is alive. Using self-reported satisfaction measures from a long-running German panel survey, the Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the present study conducts an empirical test of this assumption. Our matching-based estimation reveals satisfaction trajectories of women who experience the death of their spouse and identifies the causal effect of widowhood. The average level of satisfaction in a control group of non-widowed women serves as a reference to measure the degree of adaptation to widowhood. The results suggest bereavement has no enduring effect on satisfaction, and that is evidence against Posner's assumption.widowhood, adaptation, subjective well-being, life satisfaction, satisfaction with household income, propensity score matching

Zufriedenheit mit der Altersvorsorge und Präferenzen für alternative Sicherungsmodelle : Empirische Analysen mit dem Sozio-oekonomischen Panel (SOEP)

Mit Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels für das Jahr 2002 wird gezeigt, dass die jüngere Generationmit ihrer finanziellen Alterssicherung deutlich unzufriedener ist als die ältere. Dieser Effekt ist unabhängig von der ökonomischen Situation der Befragten, weist also darauf hin, dass es grundsätzliche Unterschiede zwischen den Generationen gibt. Für das Jahr 1992 konnte dieser Effekt nicht nachgewiesen werden.Während eine geschlossene Erwerbsbiographie einen positiven Einfluss auf die Zufriedenheit hat, wirken sich Perioden von Arbeitslosigkeit sowie unsichere Zukunftserwartungen negativ aus. Trotz der deutlich gestiegenen Unzufriedenheit mit der Alterssicherung stehen große Teile der Bevölkerung einer privatwirtschaftlich organisierten Altersvorsorge skeptisch gegenüber. Ganz allgemein kann gezeigt werden, dass mit ihrer Alterssicherung Unzufriedene dem Staat größeres Vertrauen entgegenbringen. Die meisten Befragten halten staatliche Zuschüsse für die private Altersvorsorge zwar für wichtig, die Anreize scheinen aber nicht ausreichend zu sein, um breite Bevölkerungsschichten zum Aufbau einer hinreichenden Privatvorsorge zu bewegen. Diese ist vielmehr deutlich von den finanziellen Möglichkeiten der Befragten geprägt.Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study 2002, we show that satisfaction with the German public pension system is significantly lower in the younger generation. This effect is independent from the individual economic situation and cannot be observed in earlier years.Whereas long periods of full time employment increase satisfaction with old-age security, unemployment has a significant negative impact. In spite of being rather discontented with old-age security, large parts of the population are mistrustful of a more comprehensive privatization of old-age pensions. In general, the dissatis- fied tend to prefer a state-organized old-age security. Most respondents consider state subsidies to be important for private old-age security. However, the incentives do not seem to be suitable for broader implementation of private provision

Zufriedenheit mit der Altersvorsorge und Präferenzen für alternative Sicherungsmodelle: empirische Analysen mit dem Sozio-oekonomischen Panel (SOEP)

Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study 2002, we show that satisfaction with the German public pension system is significantly lower in the younger generation. This effect is independent from the individual economic situation and cannot be observed in earlier years. Whereas long periods of full time employment increase satisfaction with old-age security, unemployment has a significant negative impact. In spite of being rather discontented with old-age security, large parts of the population are mistrustful of a more comprehensive privatization of old-age pensions. In general, the dissatisfied tend to prefer a state-organized old-age security. Most respondents consider state subsidies to be important for private old-age security. However, the incentives do not seem to be suitable for broader implementation of private provision.Satisfaction; German public pension system; Ordered probit model; German Socio-Economic Panel Study

Alterssicherung: gesunkene Zufriedenheit und Skepsis gegenüber privater Vorsorge

Bei der Gestaltung der Sozialpolitik spielen Expertenmeinungen die wichtigste Rolle. Langfristig angelegte Reformen wie die der Alterssicherung können aber nur dann erfolgreich sein, wenn sie von den Bürgern akzeptiert werden. Deshalb sollten die Wünsche der Bürger bei der Gestaltung der Sozialpolitik stärker als bisher berücksichtigt werden. Auf Grundlage der Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) werden in diesem Bericht Meinungen der Bevölkerung zur Alterssicherung analysiert. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die Zufriedenheit der jüngeren Generation im Laufe der letzten zehn Jahre deutlich gesunken ist. Allerdings wird der staatlich organisierten Alterssicherung immer noch ein hohes Vertrauen entgegengebracht, und staatliche Zuschüsse zu einer privaten Altersvorsorge erreichen ihr Ziel nur bedingt. Sie kommen vor allem denen zugute, die auch ohne staatliche Anreize zusätzliche Vorsorge betreiben. Ein nicht unerheblicher Teil der Bevölkerung fühlt sich dazu gar nicht in der Lage und kann deshalb nicht von den Zuschüssen profitieren

Well-Being over the Life Span: Semiparametric Evidence from British and German Longitudinal Data

This paper applies semiparametric regression models using penalized splines to investigate the profile of well-being over the life span. Splines have the advantage that they do not require a priori assumptions about the form of the curve. Using data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the analysis shows a common, quite similar, age-specific pattern of life satisfaction for both Britain and Germany that can be characterized by three age stages. In the first stage, life satisfaction declines until approximately the fifth life decade. In the second age stage, well-being clearly increases and has a second turning point (maximum) after which well-being decreases in the third age stage. Several reasons for the three-phase pattern are discussed. We point to the fact that neither polynomial functions of the third nor the fourth degree describe the relationship adequately: polynomials locate the minimum and the maximum imprecisely. In addition, our analysis discusses the indistinguishability of age, period, and cohort effects: we propose estimating age-period models that control for cohort effects including substantive variables, such as the life expectancy of the birth cohort, and further observed socioeconomic characteristics in the regression.Subjective well-being, life satisfaction, semiparametric regression, penalized splines, age-period model, age-cohort model

Well-Being over the Life Span: Semiparametric Evidence from British and German Longitudinal Data

This paper applies semiparametric regression models using penalized splines to investigate the profile of well-being over the life span. Splines have the advantage that they do not require a priori assumptions about the form of the curve. Using data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the analysis shows a common, quite similar, age-specific pattern of life satisfaction for both Britain and Germany that can be characterized by three age stages. In the first stage, life satisfaction declines until approximately the fifth life decade. In the second age stage, well-being clearly increases and has a second turning point (maximum) after which well-being decreases in the third age stage. Several reasons for the three-phase pattern are discussed. We point to the fact that neither polynomial functions of the third nor the fourth degree describe the relationship adequately: polynomials locate the minimum and the maximum imprecisely. In addition, our analysis discusses the indistinguishability of age, period, and cohort effects: we propose estimating age-period models that control for cohort effects including substantive variables, such as the life expectancy of the birth cohort, and further observed socioeconomic characteristics in the regression.subjective well-being, life satisfaction, semiparametric regression, penalized splines, age-period model, age-cohort model

Well-Being over the Life Span: Semiparametric Evidence from British and German Longitudinal Data

This paper applies semiparametric regression models using penalized splines to investigate the profile of well-being over the life span. Splines have the advantage that they do not require a priori assumptions about the form of the curve. Using data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the analysis shows a common, quite similar, age-specific pattern of life satisfaction for both Britain and Germany that can be characterized by three age stages. In the first stage, life satisfaction declines until approximately the fifth life decade. In the second age stage, well-being clearly increases and has a second turning point (maximum) after which well-being decreases in the third age stage. Several reasons for the three-phase pattern are discussed. We point to the fact that neither polynomial functions of the third nor the fourth degree describe the relationship adequately: polynomials locate the minimum and the maximum imprecisely. In addition, our analysis discusses the indistinguishability of age, period, and cohort effects: we propose estimating age-period models that control for cohort effects including substantive variables, such as the life expectancy of the birth cohort, and further observed socioeconomic characteristics in the regression.subjective well-being, life satisfaction, semiparametric regression, penalized splines, age-period model, age-cohort model

Welfare Effects of the Euro Cash Changeover

Using merged data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) and the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), this paper applies a parametric difference-in-differences approach to assess the real effects of the introduction of the euro on subjective well-being. A complementary nonparametric approach is also used to analyze the impact of difficulties with the new currency on well-being. The results indicate a severe loss in well-being associated with the introduction of the new currency, with the predicted probability that a person is contented with his/her household income diminishing by 9.7 percentage points. We calculate a compensating income variation of approximately one-third. That is, an increase in postgovernment household income of more than 30% is needed to compensate for the rather drastic decline in well-being. The reasons for the negative impact are threefold. First, perceived inflation overestimates the real increase in prices resulting in suboptimal consumption decisions. Second, money illusion causes a false assessment of the budget constraint. Third, individuals have to bear the costs from the conversion and the adjustment to the new currency. Moreover, it is thought that losses are smaller when financial ability is higher. However, the impact of difficulties in using and converting the new currency is rather small, and the initial problems were overcome within one year of the introduction of euro cash