Well-being and Social Policy
29th June 2005
Social Policy Association Conference,
University of Bath
Nic Marks
head of well-being research
new economics foundation
Well-being and Social Policy
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What do we mean by well-being?
How is it measured?
nef’s well-being manifesto
Some data to support the policy ideas
What is happening politically in the UK
about well-being
 What other projects nef are up to
What do we mean by “well-being”?
Well-being = People’s experience
of their quality of life
WHO definition of health as:
“A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely an absence of disease or
infirmity”: 1946
GDP and Life Satisfaction
A Challenge to the Economic Status Quo
GDP and Life Satisfaction 1973 - 2002
200%
180%
160%
Life Satisfaction
GDP
140%
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
1973 1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001
Well-being data
Most data is limited to Life Satisfaction,
but it is pretty robust and useful.
– Converges with other measures
– Predicts people’s behaviour consistently
– Many predictors are malleable to policy
But note averages ‘hide’ a lot of variance.
Micro-data illuminates this as well as
challenging set-point theory & adaptation.
Micro data: Widowhood and Well-being
Centered Life Satisfaction
0.25
Year of
Widowhood
0.00
-0.25
-0.50
-0.75
-1.00
-1.25
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
Years
2
3
4
5
6
7
Micro data: Divorce and Well-being
Centered Life Satisfaction
0.25
0.00
Year of Divorce
-0.25
-0.50
-0.75
-1.00
-1.25
-9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1
Years
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Micro data: Marriages and Well-being
Marriage Paths of Life Satisfaction
Adjusted Life Satisfaction
1.5
1
0.5
Mean
Positive Group
Negative Group
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
-0.5
-1
Years of Marriage
7
8
9
10
Micro data: Widowhood and Well-being
Data from GSOP – German Panel Data – Rich Lucas
Lucas, R. E., Clark, A. E., Georgellis, Y., & Diener, E.
(2003). Re-examining adaptation and the setpoint model
of happiness: Reactions to changes in marital status.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84, 527539.
Lucas, R. E. (in press). Time does not heal all wounds. A
longitudinal study of reaction and adaptation to divorce.
Psychological Science.
A theory of personal well-being
Our Parents - 50%
Our Circumstances - 10%
Our Activities and Outlook - 40%
Sonja Lyubomirsky – The Architecture of Happiness
Why is well-being important for
politics - right now?
Health Impacts:
–
Happy people live up to 7 years longer
Enterprise Impacts:
–
2nd Dimension of Development and Curiosity =>
Entrepreneurship & Creativity
Citizenship Impacts:
–
–
Happy people are more generous, altruistic and
sociable
BUT beware of some independence!
Why is well-being important for
Sustainable Development?
Material goods
–
little positive impact on people’s well-being.
Materialistic values
–
appear to undermine people’s well-being.
De-materialize and be happy?
–
Possible WIN – WIN situation.
Well-being and Policy
nef’s well-being manifesto:
– launched Sept 2004
– covered eight areas of policy
– strategy was ‘to start a debate’
– designed to be ‘contagious’
Downloadable from:
www.neweconomics.org
nef’s well-being manifesto
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Measure what matters
Create a well-being economy
Reclaim our time
Flourishing schools
Complete health for the nation
Invest in the very early years
Authentic advertising (and discourage
materialism)
8. Community contribution
1. Measure what matters
Well-being matters, so we’d
better measure it.
1. National well-being accounts.
2. Local Government well-being audits.
3. Regional Development Agencies –
well-being economies.
4. Targeted academic and social
research.
1. Will Measurement Matter?
Personal Impacts:
– Informational – increasing awareness
and personal choice.
Social Impacts:
– Encourage shifts in Cultural values.
– Inform Policy changes
Environmental Impacts:
– Strategic and Longer Term
2: Well-being Economy & Good Jobs
Experience at work and some key outcome variables
10
9
8
7
6
Low Interest - High Stress
Low Interest - Low Stress
5
High Interest - High Stress
4
High Interest - Low Stress
3
2
1
0
Life
Satisfaction
Work
Satisfaction
Work Life
Balance
Satisfaction
Organisational
Pride
Intention to
Quit
Source: “Good Jobs”; Nic Marks; CIPD report on “Employee well-being” June 2005; www.cipd.co.uk
2: Well-being economy & Unemployment
Effect of unemployment on People's Life Satisfaction
0.5
0.25
Adjusted Life Satisfaction
0
-0.25
Average
Under 50s
Over 50s
Voluntary
Involuntary
-0.5
-0.75
-1
-1.25
-1.5
Source: Winkelmann & Winkelmann: Why are the unemployed so unhappy?: Economica, 65, 1-15
3: Effect of Long Hours
Length of Working Week and Key Outcome Indicators
10
9
8
7
6
Short Hours (less than 36)
Medium Hours (36 - 40)
5
Medium Long (41 - 45)
4
Long Hours (more than 45)
3
2
1
0
Work Satisfaction
Work Life Balance
Satisfaction
Intention to Quit (0-10)
Source: “Good Jobs”; Nic Marks; CIPD report on “Employee well-being” June 2005; www.cipd.co.uk
4: Changing Schools?
Average Overall Well-being and School Satisfaction by Age
3.8
3.6
3.4
Average Score
3.2
Life Satisfaction
3
Curiosity
School Satisfaction
2.8
2.6
2.4
2.2
2
9
10
11
12
13
14
Age
Source: Power & potential of well-being indicators, Nic Marks; nef 2004
15
5: Health and Well-being
“Complete Health” for the Nation
– NHS to re-focus on its true purpose
“complete physical, mental and social
well-being” – WHO 1948.
– Interconnection between mental health
and prevention
NHS should become a “National Health
System” involving patients looking
after their own well-being.
5: Health and Well-being
Longevity and Happiness
–
Happy people live up to 7 years longer, which is a
larger positive effect than body mass, smoking
and physical exercise are negative.
The Unhappy-Well
–
Unhappy people have a lower ‘pain threshold’ and
are more likely to consider themselves ill. Also
happier people absorb more health information.
Increased Risks
–
Risk of cardiovascular disease is estimated as
twice as high for people with depression, and 50%
higher for the generally unhappy.
Health warning
nef Health Warning
Being HAPPY is seriously good for you and
others around you.
Happy and fulfilled people live up to seven
years longer, have stronger social
networks and are engaged in their
communities.
6: Children and Well-being
Invest in the very early years
– Babies need a lot of individual attention
– Parenthood is stressful
– Too much nursery care can have
negative well-being effects on child.
Specific Policy Recommendations:
– Shared parental leave for first 2 years
– Supportive home visits for new parents
– Reduce ratio of nursery staff:babies to
1:2 from current policy of 1:3
7: Effect of Materialism?
Materialistic Aspirations
0.6
Adjusted Life Satisfaction
0.4
0.2
0
-0.2
High Non-Material &
High Material
High Non-Material &
Low Material
Low Non-Material &
High Material
Low Non-Material &
Low Material
-0.4
-0.6
Source: “High Price of Materialism”; Tim Kasser; 2002; Bradford Books, MIT Press, USA
8: Social Well-being
Measuring Social well-being
• Belongingness
• Trusting others and feeling others care for you
• Pro-social behaviour / Contribution
• Feelings about Societal development
• Understanding or making sense of Societal
Change
Following Corey Keyes
Social Well-being
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Belongingness
Trust others & care
Contribute to Society
Societal Progress
Understand Changes
USA
Italy
Ladakh
7
8
9
10
Well-being & UK politics
 Sustainable Development Strategy –
“Securing the future”
 Scottish Executive
 Mental Health Agenda
 Children and Commercialisation
nef and well-being indicators
 Health, Needs and Happiness Dumfries and Galloway
 Sustainable Well-being –
WWF
and nef
 European Social Survey – 2006/7 –
with Felicia Huppert, University of
Cambridge
Well-being and Social Policy





What do we mean by well-being?
How is it measured?
Eight policy ideas
Some data to support them!
What is happening politically in the UK
about well-being
 What other projects nef are up to
Well-being and Social Policy
What can you do?
 Measure what matters.
 Assess the well-being effects of current
and potential policies.
 Consider the well-being implications of all
social policy.
 Don’t forget future generations!
Contact Details:
Nic Marks
www.neweconomics.org
nic.marks@neweconomics.org