The Asymmetric Experience of Positive and Negative Economic Growth: Global Evidence Using Subjective Well-Being Data

A-Tier
Journal: Review of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2018
Volume: 100
Issue: 2
Pages: 362-375

Authors (6)

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve (not in RePEc) George Ward (not in RePEc) Femke De Keulenaer (not in RePEc) Bert Van Landeghem (University of Sheffield) Georgios Kavetsos (Queen Mary University of Londo...) Michael I. Norton (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 6 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Are individuals more sensitive to losses than gains in terms of economic growth?We find that measures of subjective well-being are more than twice as sensitive to negative as compared to positive economic growth. We use Gallup World Poll data from over 150 countries, BRFSS data on 2.3 million U.S. respondents, and Eurobarometer data that cover multiple business cycles over four decades. This research provides a new perspective on the welfare cost of business cycles, with implications for growth policy and the nature of the long-run relationship between GDP and subjective well-being.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:tpr:restat:v:100:y:2018:i:2:p:362-375
Journal Field
General
Author Count
6
Added to Database
2026-01-25