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{{short description|Archive of research findings on subjective appreciation of life.}}
{{short description|Archive of research findings on subjective appreciation of life.}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
The '''World Database of Happiness''' is a web-based archive of research findings on subjective appreciation of life.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/ |title=Home |website=worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl}}</ref> The database contains both an overview of scientific publications on [[happiness]] and a digest of research findings.<ref>Veenhoven, R. (2004) World database of happiness; Continuous register of research on subjective appreciation of life. Published in: Glatzer, W., VonBelow, S. & Stoffregen, M. (eds.), ‘Challenges for quality of life in the contemporary world: Advances in quality-of-life studies, theory and research’, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht The Netherlands, Social Indicators Research Series, vol. 24, {{ISBN|1-4020-2890-3}} (e-book 1-4020-2903-9).</ref> The database contains information on how happy people are in a wide range of circumstances and in 165 different nations.<ref>Veenhoven, R. (2011) World database of happiness; Example of a focused ‘Findings Archive’. Published as Working paper No. 169, German Data Forum RatSWD, February 2011.</ref> Happiness is defined as the degree to which an individual judges the quality of his or her life as a whole favorably. Two 'components' of happiness are distinguished: hedonic level of affect (the degree to which pleasant affect dominates) and contentment (perceived realization of wants).
The '''World Database of Happiness''' is a web-based archive of research findings on subjective appreciation of life, based in the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organization of the Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/ |title=WORLD DATABASE OF HAPPINESS ARCHIVE OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ON SUBJECTIVE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE |last=Ehero |first= |date= |website=https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/ |publisher=Erasmus University Rotterdam |access-date= 05 july 2023|quote=}}</ref> The database contains both an overview of scientific publications on [[happiness]] and a digest of research findings.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Veenhoven |first1=Ruut |last2=Buijt |first2=Ivonne |last3=Burger |first2=Martijn|date=May 2021|title=ONLINE ‘FINDINGS-ARCHIVE’: A NEW TOOL FOR RESEARCH SYNTHESIS |url= IJISRR-728.pdf|journal=International Journal of Innovation Scientific Research and Review |volume=04 |issue=5 |pages=2774-2784 |doi= |access-date=05 july 2023}}<ref> Happiness is defined as the degree to which an individual judges the quality of his or her life as a whole favorably. Two 'components' of happiness are distinguished: hedonic level of affect (the degree to which pleasant affect dominates) and contentment (perceived realization of wants).


==Aims==
==Aims==
The World Database of Happiness is a tool to quickly acquire an overview on the ever-growing stream of research findings on happiness Medio 2019 the database covered some 30,000 scientific findings, of which about 12,500 are distributional findings (on how happy people are) and another 17,500 correlational findings (on factors associated with more and less happiness).<ref>Veenhoven, R. (2009) World database of happiness. Psychological Topics, 18: 221-246.</ref><ref>http://www1.eur.nl/fsw/happiness/index.html</ref> The first findings date from 1915.
The World Database of Happiness is a tool to quickly acquire an overview on the ever-growing stream of research findings on happiness Medio 2023 the database covered some 16,000 scientific publications on happiness, from which were extracted 23,000 distributional findings (on how happy people are) and another 24,000 correlational findings (on factors associated with more and less happiness).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/ |title=WORLD DATABASE OF HAPPINESS
ARCHIVE OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ON SUBJECTIVE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/ |publisher=Erasmus University Rotterdam |access-date=05 july 2023 |quote=}}</ref> The first findings date from 1915.


==Findings==
==Technique==
The World Database of Happiness is a ‘findings archive’, which consists of electronic ‘finding pages’ on which separate research results are described in a standard format and terminology. These finding pages can be selected on various characteristics, such as population studies, the measure of happiness used and observed co-variates. All finding-pages have a specific internet address to which links can be made in scientific review papers or policy recommendations. This allows a concise presentation of many findings in a table, while providing readers with access to detail.<ref>Veenhoven, R. (2014). World database of happiness. Encyclopedia of Quality of Life and Well-Being Research, 7257-7260.</ref>
The World Database of Happiness is a ‘findings archive’, which consists of electronic ‘finding pages’ on which separate research results are described in a standard format and terminology. These finding pages can be selected on various characteristics, such as population studies, the measure of happiness used and observed co-variates. All finding-pages have a specific internet address to which links can be made in scientific review papers or policy recommendations. This allows a concise presentation of many findings in a table, while providing readers with access to detail.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Veenhoven |first1=Ruut |last2=Buijt |first2=Ivonne |last3=Burger |first2=Martijn|date=May 2021|title=ONLINE ‘FINDINGS-ARCHIVE’: A NEW TOOL FOR RESEARCH SYNTHESIS |url= IJISRR-728.pdf|journal=International Journal of Innovation Scientific Research and Review |volume=04 |issue=5 |pages=2774-2784 |doi= |access-date=05 july 2023}}<ref>


==Scientific use==
==Scientific use==
The Database has been used in [https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=world+database+of+happiness&oq= hundreds scientific studies], for example to access under what conditions economic growth enhances average happiness
The Database has been cited in 254 scientific papers <ref>{{cite web |url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=4025874245652442912&as_sdt=2005&sciodt=0,5&hl=en |title=Google Scholar |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=https://scholar.google.com/ |publisher=google |access-date= 05 july 2023|quote=}}</ref>, for example to access under what conditions economic growth enhances average happiness
<ref>Oishi, S., & Kesebir, S. (2015). Income inequality explains why economic growth does not always translate to an increase in happiness. Psychological science, 26(10), 1630-1638.</ref> or to show that rising mean happiness at first raises happiness inequality, but further rise will diminish these differences, or that healthy eating is associated with more happiness.<ref>Ram, R. (2017). Kuznets curve in happiness: A cross-country exploration. Economic Modelling, 66, 272-278.</ref><ref>Veenhoven, R. (2018). Will healthy eating make you happier? A research synthesis using an on-line findings-archive.</ref>
<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Oishi |first1= Shigehiro|last2=Kesebir |first2= Selin|date=September 3, 2015 |title=Income Inequality Explains Why Economic Growth Does Not Always Translate to an Increase in Happiness |url= https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797615596713|journal=Psychological Science |volume=26 |issue=10 |pages=1630–1638. |doi= https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615596713|access-date=05 July 2023}}</ref> or to show that rising mean happiness at first raises happiness inequality, but further rise will diminish these differences<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ram |first1=Rati |last2= |first2= |date=November 2017 |title=Kuznets curve in happiness: A cross-country exploration |url= |journal=Economic Modelling |volume=66 |issue= |pages= 272-278|doi=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2017.06.006 |access-date=05 July 2023}}</ref>, or that healthy eating is associated with more happiness, even after controlling for the effect on health <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Veenhoven |first1=Ruut |last2= |first2= |date=2021 |title=Will healthy eating make you happier? A research synthesis using an on-line findings-archive |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11482-019-09748-7#:~:text=Together%2C%20the%20findings%20provide%20strong,across%20people%2C%20times%20and%20places. |journal=Applied Research in Quality of Life |volume= 16|issue= |pages=221–240 |doi= |access-date=5 july 2023}}Veenhoven, R. (2018). .</ref>Another finding is that relative simple happiness training techniques raise happiness by some 5% <ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bergsma |first1=Ad |last2=Buijt |first2=Ivonne|last3=Veenhoven |first3=Ruut |date=17 November 2020 |title=Will Happiness-Trainings Make Us Happier? A Research Synthesis Using an Online Findings-Archive |url= https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01953/full |journal=Frontiers in Psychology |volume=11 |issue= |pages= |doi=https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01953 |access-date=5 July 2023}}</ref>


==Popular use==
==Popular use==
The World Database of Happiness is often used by popular media to make lists of the happiest countries around the globe.<ref>
The World Database of Happiness is often used by popular media to make lists of the happiest countries around the globe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gfmag.com/tools/global-database/ne-data/11940-happiest-countries.html#axzz2VQh2jLfD|title = Global Finance Magazine - the Happiest Countries and Territories in the World 2021}}</ref> An example is the [[Happy Planet Index]], which aims to chart sustainable happiness all over the world by combining data on [[longevity]], [[happiness]] and the size of the [[ecological footprint]] of citizens.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.happyplanetindex.org/ |title=Home |website=happyplanetindex.org}}</ref>
{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=The Happiest Countries In The World |url=https://www.gfmag.com/global-data/non-economic-data/happiest-countries#axzz2VQh2jLfD|title%20=%20Global%20Finance%20Magazine%20-%20the%20Happiest%20Countries%20and%20Territories%20in%20the%20World%202021 |magazine=Global Finance Magazine |location= |publisher= |date=APRIL 27, 2022 |access-date=2023 July 5}}</ref> An example is the [[Happy Planet Index]], which aims to chart sustainable happiness all over the world by combining data on [[longevity]], [[happiness]] and the size of the [[ecological footprint]] of citizens.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://happyplanetindex.org/countries/|title=Happy planet Index |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=https://happyplanetindex.org/ |publisher=Hot or Cool Institute |access-date= |quote=}}</ref>


==Strengths and weaknesses==
==Strengths and weaknesses==
The database has a clear conceptual focus, it includes only research findings on subjective enjoyment of one's life as a whole. Thereby it evades the Babel that has haunted the study of happiness for ages. The other side of that coin is that much interesting research is left out. The findings are reported with technical details about measurement and statistical analysis. This detail is welcomed by scholars, but makes the information difficult to digest for lay-persons. Still another limitation is that the available findings are often contradictory, which makes it hard to draw firm conclusions about the causes of happiness. What is clear is that poor health, separation, unemployment and lack of social contact are all strongly negatively associated with happiness.<ref>Dolan, P., Peasgood, T. & White, M. (2008). Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being. Journal of Economic Psychology, 29, 94-122.</ref> Another problem for the World database of happiness is that the number of studies on happiness increases with such a high rate that it gets increasingly difficult to offer a complete overview of all research findings.
The database has a clear conceptual focus, it includes only research findings on subjective enjoyment of one's life as a whole. Thereby it evades the Babel that has haunted the study of happiness for ages. The other side of that coin is that much interesting research is left out. The findings are reported with technical details about measurement and statistical analysis. This detail is welcomed by scholars, but makes the information difficult to digest for lay-persons. Still another limitation is that the determinants of happiness appear to vary considerably across persons and situations, which make it hard to draw general conclusions about the causes of happiness. What is clear is that poor health, separation, unemployment and lack of social contact are all strongly negatively associated with happiness.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dolan |first1=Paul |last2=Peasgood |first2=Tessa |last1=White |first1=Mathew |date=February 2008 |title=Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0167487007000694 |journal=Journal of Economic Psychology |volume=29 |issue= |pages=94-122 |doi=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.09.001 |access-date=2023, July 5}}<ref> Another problem for the World database of happiness is that the number of studies on happiness increases with such a high rate that it gets increasingly difficult to offer a complete overview of all research findings.

A further concern is that the Database of Happiness is exclusively focused on [[hedonic]] happiness (feeling good) and not on mature<ref>Wong, P. T. P. (2017i, May 16). Courage, faith, meaning, and mature happiness. Positive Living Newsletter. Retrieved from http://www.drpaulwong.com/inpm-presidents-report-may-2017</ref> or [[Noesis (phenomenology)|noetic]]<ref>Powell, S. J. (1989). Happiness is an inside job. Allen, Texas: Tabor Publishing.</ref> happiness, that is characterized by a sense of acceptance, inner serenity and being at peace with self, others, and the world. [[Paul T. P. Wong|Paul Wong]] of the [[International Network on Personal Meaning|INPM]] put it like this: "The World Database of Happiness does not even include research findings of happiness in suffering. The reality is that all those suffering from a variety of misfortunes—such as poverty, sickness, accidents, or discrimination and oppression—also want to know how they can experience happiness; therefore, psychologists and policymakers need to be concerned about their needs."<ref>Wong, P. T., & Bowers, V. (2019). Mature happiness and global wellbeing in difficult times. In Scientific concepts behind happiness, kindness, and empathy in contemporary society (pp. 112-134). IGI Global.</ref>


A further concern is that the Database of Happiness is exclusively focused on [[hedonic]] happiness (feeling good) and not on mature happiness that might exist in the face of suffering <ref>{{cite mailing list |url=http://www.drpaulwong.com/inpm-presidents-report-may-2017/ |title=Courage, faith, meaning, and mature happiness |date=2017, May 16 |access-date=5 July 2023 |mailing-list=ositive Living Newsletter |last=Wong |first=Paul |author= |author-link= |language=English |quote= |archive-url=http://www.drpaulwong.com/|archive-date= |ref=}}<ref>
==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== External links==
== External links==
*World database of happiness (http://www1.eur.nl/fsw/happiness/)
*World database of happiness (https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/)
*Happy Planet Index (http://www.happyplanetindex.org/)
*Happy Planet Index (https://happyplanetindex.org/)


[[Category:Databases]]
[[Category:Databases]]

Revision as of 11:36, 5 July 2023

The World Database of Happiness is a web-based archive of research findings on subjective appreciation of life, based in the Erasmus Happiness Economics Research Organization of the Erasmus University Rotterdam in The Netherlands.[1] The database contains both an overview of scientific publications on happiness and a digest of research findings.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). The first findings date from 1915.

Technique

The World Database of Happiness is a ‘findings archive’, which consists of electronic ‘finding pages’ on which separate research results are described in a standard format and terminology. These finding pages can be selected on various characteristics, such as population studies, the measure of happiness used and observed co-variates. All finding-pages have a specific internet address to which links can be made in scientific review papers or policy recommendations. This allows a concise presentation of many findings in a table, while providing readers with access to detail.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page)., for example to access under what conditions economic growth enhances average happiness [2] or to show that rising mean happiness at first raises happiness inequality, but further rise will diminish these differences[3], or that healthy eating is associated with more happiness, even after controlling for the effect on health [4]Another finding is that relative simple happiness training techniques raise happiness by some 5% [5]

Popular use

The World Database of Happiness is often used by popular media to make lists of the happiest countries around the globe.[6] An example is the Happy Planet Index, which aims to chart sustainable happiness all over the world by combining data on longevity, happiness and the size of the ecological footprint of citizens.[7]

Strengths and weaknesses

The database has a clear conceptual focus, it includes only research findings on subjective enjoyment of one's life as a whole. Thereby it evades the Babel that has haunted the study of happiness for ages. The other side of that coin is that much interesting research is left out. The findings are reported with technical details about measurement and statistical analysis. This detail is welcomed by scholars, but makes the information difficult to digest for lay-persons. Still another limitation is that the determinants of happiness appear to vary considerably across persons and situations, which make it hard to draw general conclusions about the causes of happiness. What is clear is that poor health, separation, unemployment and lack of social contact are all strongly negatively associated with happiness.<ref>White, Mathew; Peasgood, Tessa (February 2008). "Do we really know what makes us happy? A review of the economic literature on the factors associated with subjective well-being". Journal of Economic Psychology. 29: 94–122. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joep.2007.09.001. Retrieved 2023, July 5. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help); Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |doi= (help)<ref> Another problem for the World database of happiness is that the number of studies on happiness increases with such a high rate that it gets increasingly difficult to offer a complete overview of all research findings.

A further concern is that the Database of Happiness is exclusively focused on hedonic happiness (feeling good) and not on mature happiness that might exist in the face of suffering <ref>Wong, Paul (2017, May 16). "Courage, faith, meaning, and mature happiness". ositive Living Newsletter (Mailing list). Retrieved 5 July 2023. {{cite mailing list}}: |archive-url= requires |archive-date= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)<ref>

References

  1. ^ Ehero. "WORLD DATABASE OF HAPPINESS ARCHIVE OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ON SUBJECTIVE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE". https://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/. Erasmus University Rotterdam. Retrieved 05 july 2023. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |website= (help)
  2. ^ Oishi, Shigehiro; Kesebir, Selin (September 3, 2015). "Income Inequality Explains Why Economic Growth Does Not Always Translate to an Increase in Happiness". Psychological Science. 26 (10): 1630–1638. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797615596713. Retrieved 05 July 2023. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help); Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |doi= (help)
  3. ^ Ram, Rati (November 2017). "Kuznets curve in happiness: A cross-country exploration". Economic Modelling. 66: 272–278. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2017.06.006. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check |doi= value (help); Check date values in: |access-date= (help); External link in |doi= (help)
  4. ^ Veenhoven, Ruut (2021). "Will healthy eating make you happier? A research synthesis using an on-line findings-archive". Applied Research in Quality of Life. 16: 221–240. Retrieved 5 july 2023. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)Veenhoven, R. (2018). .
  5. ^ Bergsma, Ad; Buijt, Ivonne; Veenhoven, Ruut (17 November 2020). "Will Happiness-Trainings Make Us Happier? A Research Synthesis Using an Online Findings-Archive". Frontiers in Psychology. 11. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01953. Retrieved 5 July 2023. {{cite journal}}: Check |doi= value (help); External link in |doi= (help)
  6. ^ "The Happiest Countries In The World". Global Finance Magazine. APRIL 27, 2022. Retrieved 2023 July 5. {{cite magazine}}: Check date values in: |access-date= and |date= (help); Unknown parameter |title%20= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Happy planet Index". https://happyplanetindex.org/. Hot or Cool Institute. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)

External links

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