Heterogeneity in reported well-being:Evidence from twelve European countries

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  • 1 January 2004
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      • Published in HAL
Abstract
This paper models the relationship between income and self-reportd weel-being using random-effect techniques applied to panel data from twelve European countries. We cannot distinguish empirically between heterogeneities in the utility function (translating income into utility) and the expression function (turning utility into self-reported well-being), but we strongly reject the hypothesis that individuals carry out these joint transformations in same way. The "marginal well-being effect of income" is very different in the four classes we identify; thus we expect preferences for redistribution and behaviour to be differeent accross these classes. Our results suggest that aggregating data accross diverse populations, and countries, may be a dangerous practice.

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