You can’t be happier than your wife. Happiness gaps and divorce

B-Tier
Journal: Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization
Year: 2012
Volume: 82
Issue: 1
Pages: 110-130

Score contribution per author:

0.670 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

Based on three large panel surveys, this paper shows that happiness gaps between spouses are a good predictor of future divorce. The effect of happiness gaps is asymmetric: couples are more likely to break-up when the woman is the less happy partner. De facto, divorces appear to be initiated predominantly by women who are less happy than their husband. This asymmetry suggests that the effect of happiness gaps is grounded on motives of relative deprivation (i.e. comparisons of happiness between spouses) rather than on a preference for equal happiness.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jeborg:v:82:y:2012:i:1:p:110-130
Journal Field
Theory
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25