Showing papers by "Martijn Burger published in 2021"

The Relations between Hope and Subjective Well-Being: a Literature Overview and Empirical Analysis

Abstract: How we perceive the future can greatly affect how we feel in the present. Even a currently positive situation is hard to bear when we know the future will be grim. Indeed, previous research has found that more hopeful people are happier. However, both hope and subjective well-being are multidimensional concepts comprising emotion (i.e., anticipation and affect), cognition (expectation and satisfaction) and, to some degree, motivation. Since most studies include only one dimension of hope and subjective well-being, little is known about how different aspects of hope relate to different aspects of subjective well-being. This study aims to gain insight into these relationships by providing an overview of the existing empirical literature on hope and subjective well-being. Subsequently, cross-sectional data of a representative sample of the American population are used to further examine the relationship between hope and subjective well-being. Our findings from both the literature and our empirical analysis show that positive expectations are only weakly associated with all domains of subjective well-being, whereas cognitive and emotional hope are most strongly related to subjective well-being. This finding indicates that the more passive characteristics of positive expectations have less of an impact on subjective well-being than a more agentic hopeful disposition.

Spatial structure and subjective well-being in North-West Europe

Abstract: This study examines the relationship between regions’ spatial organization and subjective well-being in North-West Europe. Combining data on life satisfaction with data on the spatial structure of regions, we find that the degree of polycentricism is positively associated and dispersion is negatively associated with life satisfaction. At the same time, the results indicate that in more dispersed regions, people experience more positive effects of polycentric structures than in more centralized regions, while residents of more urbanized polycentric regions report lower levels of life satisfaction compared with residents of less urbanized polycentric regions. Likewise, the findings suggest that urban residents living in polycentric regions are less satisfied compared with their rural counterparts.

Happiness and Consumption: A Research Synthesis Using an Online Finding Archive*†:

Abstract: There is a considerable amount of research on the effect of income on happiness, but only a limited number of studies have considered how the spending of income works out on one’s happiness. In thi...

Hope Mediates the Relation between Income and Subjective Well-Being

Abstract: In this study, we examine whether the positive effect of income gains on subjective well-being (SWB) can in part be explained by the improved future prospects that are generated by a more solid financial situation. Using three-wave panel data from the US, we inspect the relation between changes in income, hope and SWB using a fixed-effects model. Results show that hope indeed partially mediates the relation between income and SWB, but only for monthly incomes over $1800. Positive expectations, on the other hand, mediate the relation for all income levels. From the two components of hope, agency, the belief that we can achieve our goals, seems to be the strongest mediator. We find no indications that extremely high levels of hope or expectations will harm SWB through disappointment.

Characterizing Hope: An Interdisciplinary Overview of the Characteristics of Hope

Abstract: What we hope for has a large impact on how we feel and behave. Research on the determinants and effects of a hopeful disposition is increasing in several academic fields, such as psychology, nursing and organizational studies. However, how hope is defined differs significantly between disciplines, leading to fragmentation in the insights that we can draw from this research. This systematic review aims to provide an extensive overview of the ascribed characteristics of the concept of hope in ten different academic fields. Using phenomenographic research methods, these characterizations are collected and categorized to offer a comprehensive conceptual framework of hope. The resulting framework comprises 7 themes and 41 sub-themes. We show how this framework can be used to obtain a fuller understanding of the concept of hope and of possible blind spots within specific research fields.

Worker Well-Being: What it Is, and how it Should Be Measured

Abstract: Worker well-being is a hot topic in organizations, consultancy and academia. However, too often, the buzz about worker well-being, enthusiasm for new programs to promote it and interest to research it, have not been accompanied by universal enthusiasm for scientific measurement. Aim to bridge this gap, we address three questions. To address the question ‘What is worker well-being?’, we explain that worker well-being is a multi-facetted concept and that it can be operationalized in a variety of constructs. We propose a four-dimensional taxonomy of worker well-being constructs to illustrate the concept’s complexity and classify ten constructs within this taxonomy. To answer the question ‘How can worker well-being constructs be measured?’, we present two aspects of measures: measure obtrusiveness (i.e., the extent to which obtaining a measure interferes with workers’ experiences) and measure type (i.e., closed question survey, word, behavioral and physiological). We illustrate the diversity of measures across our taxonomy and uncover some hitherto under-appreciated avenues for measuring worker well-being. Finally, we address the question ‘How should a worker well-being measure be selected?’ by discussing conceptual, methodological, practical and ethical considerations when selecting a measure. We summarize these considerations in a short checklist. It is our hope that with this study researchers – working in organizations, in academia or both – will feel more competent to find effective strategies for the measurement worker well-being and eventually make policies and choices with a better understanding of what drives worker well-being.

Selective migration and urban–rural differences in subjective well-being: Evidence from the United Kingdom:

Abstract: Although more and more people choose to live in (large) cities, people in the Western world generally report lower levels of subjective well-being in urban areas than in rural areas. This article e...

Happy but Unequal

Abstract: Despite being on average a relatively happy country, Colombia has a high level of inequality in subjective well-being. Using Gallup World Poll data for the period from 2010 to 2018, this paper tests the direction and strength of association of a range of objective and subjective factors with subjective well-being and explains differences in subjective well-being across individuals and space. The perceived welfare of the average Colombian is mainly influenced by conditions and expectations related to economic opportunities and education. However, quantile regressions, reveal substantial differences in the domains that matter to those at the bottom and top of the experienced welfare distribution. Standard-of-living improvements, housing affordability, and civic engagement matter more to the most fortunate top 20 percent, while having education, a job, sufficient income, economic security, and digital connectivity are much more strongly associated with the well-being of the bottom 20 percent. The life domains that matter more to the unhappiest respondents also explain the majority of the spatial differences in perceived welfare between residents in urban and rural areas as well as core and peripheral regions. Policy actions aimed at closing the gaps in these areas have the potential to increase well-being and reduce inequality in Colombia.

Urban-Rural Happiness Differentials in The Netherlands

Abstract: In this chapter, we examine urban-rural happiness differences in the Netherlands. In line with the existing literature, we find that people in rural areas are, on average, happier than people in urban areas. Our econometric estimations suggest that after controlling for many time-variant and time-invariant personal characteristics, the effect of degree of urbanization on happiness is diminished, which indicates that selection and composition effects may play a role in explaining the urban-rural happiness differential. Cities typically have relatively more singles, unemployed, and migrants. Although these people downplay the average happiness levels of cities, they still might be better off in the city than on the countryside.

Happy but Unequal: Differences in Subjective Well-Being across Individuals and Space in Colombia.

Abstract: Despite being on average a relatively happy country, Colombia has a high level of inequality in subjective well-being (SWB). Using Gallup World Poll data for the period from 2010 to 2018, this paper tests the direction and strength of association of a range of objective and subjective factors with SWB and explains differences in SWB across individuals and space. The perceived welfare of the average Colombian is mainly influenced by conditions and expectations related to economic opportunities and education. However, quantile regressions, reveal substantial differences in the domains that matter to those at the bottom and top of the experienced welfare distribution. Standard-of-living improvements, housing affordability, and civic engagement matter more to the most fortunate top 20%, while having education, a job, sufficient income, economic security, and digital connectivity are much more strongly associated with the well-being of the bottom 20%. The life domains that matter more to the unhappiest respondents also explain the majority of the spatial differences in perceived welfare between residents in urban and rural areas as well as core and peripheral regions. Policy actions aimed at closing the gaps in these areas have the potential to increase well-being and reduce inequality in Colombia.

Regional Policy and Greenfield Investments in German Districts

Abstract: Using data on greenfield investment in German districts from 2003 to 2010, we examine how regional development policies affect the decision of multinational corporations to locate facilities in Germany. We are interested in whether regional development policies accumulate to increase the attractiveness of a region and whether some policies are necessary to attract foreign investors. Applying count data models and geographic weighted regression, the results indicate that, on average, regional development policies increase the attractiveness of German districts for multinational firms. We find that place-based policies have the strongest effect on investments in the East German lagging regions. However, policies predominantly attract standardised types of investments that require considerable capital investments but not specialised location advantages.

Unpacking the Quantifying and Qualifying Potential of Semi-Open Job Satisfaction Questions through Computer-Aided Sentiment Analysis

Abstract: Despite their suitability for mitigating survey biases and their potential for enhancing information richness, open and semi-open job satisfaction questions are rarely used in surveys. This is mostly due to the high costs associated with manual coding and difficulties that arise when validating text measures. Recently, advances in computer-aided text analysis have enabled researchers to rely less on manual coding to construct text measures. Yet, little is known about the validity of text measures generated by computer-aided text analysis software and only a handful of studies have attempted to demonstrate their added value. In light of this gap, drawing on a sample of 395 employees, we showed that the responses to a semi-open job satisfaction question can reliably and conveniently be converted into a text measure using two types of computer-aided sentiment analysis: SentimentR, and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) 2015. Furthermore, the substantial convergence between the LIWC2015 and, in particular, SentimentR measure with a closed question measure of job satisfaction and logical associations with closed question measures of constructs that fall within and outside job satisfaction’s nomological network, suggest that a semi-open question has adequate convergent and discriminant validity. Finally, we illustrated that the responses to our semi-open question can be used to fine-tune the computer-aided sentiment analysis dictionaries and unravel antecedents of job satisfaction.

Happy but Unequal : Differences in Subjective Well-Being across Individuals and Space in Colombia

Abstract: Despite being on average a relatively happy country, Colombia has a high level of inequality in subjective well-being. Using Gallup World Poll data for the period from 2010 to 2018, this paper tests the direction and strength of association of a range of objective and subjective factors with subjective well-being and explains differences in subjective well-being across individuals and space. The perceived welfare of the average Colombian is mainly influenced by conditions and expectations related to economic opportunities and education. However, quantile regressions, reveal substantial differences in the domains that matter to those at the bottom and top of the experienced welfare distribution. Standard-of-living improvements, housing affordability, and civic engagement matter more to the most fortunate top 20 percent, while having education, a job, sufficient income, economic security, and digital connectivity are much more strongly associated with the well-being of the bottom 20 percent. The life domains that matter more to the unhappiest respondents also explain the majority of the spatial differences in perceived welfare between residents in urban and rural areas as well as core and peripheral regions. Policy actions aimed at closing the gaps in these areas have the potential to increase well-being and reduce inequality in Colombia.

Difference in mood at work and home. An additional indicator of job satisfaction

Abstract: New techniques for multiple moment assessment allow us to assess how people feel at different times of the day. These techniques are mostly used to assess how well people feel during particular activities, such as during work or childcare. In this paper we focus on the difference in how well people feel at work and at home. The following questions are addressed: 1) How large is the difference in mood at work and at home? 2) How much does the difference in mood at work and at home vary across kinds of people and occupations? 3) Is the difference in mood at work and at home associated with job satisfaction as measured using common general retrospective ratings or does it tap another aspect of job satisfaction? We explore answers to these questions, using data from a diary study in the Netherlands, done using an e-application of the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) in which 1,410 people provided information about mood experienced in 32,000 episodes. We found that the average difference in mood at work and at home is small in this sample but that it varies across people and occupations. We found a low correlation of the difference in mood with the respondent’s retrospective ratings of their general job satisfaction, which suggests that there is more in the phenomena of job satisfaction than is measured using the usual questions on general job satisfaction. This, as yet unrecognized, aspect of job satisfaction is likely to add to information demands behind common measurements of job satisfaction, that is, to indicate the quality of the work conditions and estimate chances to improve worker performance and reduce turnover by making work more satisfying. We suggest an agenda for research in these areas of possible gains.

Happiness and Migration

Abstract: A subjective well-being angle has emerged as an important new frontier to advance the understanding of the causes and consequences of migration. The purpose of this chapter is to organize and take stock of this emerging literature on the bi-directional relationship between migration and happiness by reviewing the available literature from a global perspective. The literature review covers both international migration and internal migration and considers the outcomes of various stakeholders (migrants, hosting communities, and family members left behind). The literature documents ample evidence that happiness plays an important role in migration decisions, with relatively unhappy people moving to happier places, even after accounting for standard predictors of migration. In some contexts, internal migrants experience a pre-migration happiness dip. Most international migrants gain happiness from migration, hosting populations tend to experience a mixed but small impact, and family members staying behind generally experience a positive impact on evaluative well-being but not emotional well-being. However, the outcomes are strongly context-dependent and important differences exist between individuals. The impact of migration is much smaller for internal migrants. Overall, the current evidence suggests that migration contributes to a happier world because of the generally positive effects on migrants and the marginal effects on hosting communities.