Ben Page gave this presentation on Happiness at the Forum for European Philosophy ‘Consilience’ panel discussion at the London School of Economics (LSE) on Wednesday 16 January 2014.

1. Our Happiness
Ben Page – Chief Executive, Ipsos MORI
ben.page@ipsos.com
@benatipsosmori
#LSEHappiness

2. We can get reliable numbers from surveys

3. Who said this?
“Well being can’t be measured by money
or traded in markets. It’s about the beauty
of our surroundings, the quality of our
culture, and above all, the strength of our
relationships. Improving our society’s
sense of well-being is, I believe, the
central political challenge of our lives.”
David Cameron, May 2006

4. Already has critics – for miserablists!

5. It is a popular idea…
“Policies should put less emphasis on individual
consumption, and more emphasis on other aspects of
the quality of life.”
Agree
7%
8%
8%
8%
9%
9%
9%
10% 11% 12% 12% 12% 14% 15% 15% 15% 15% 15%
16% 16% 17% 17% 19%
22% 23% 26%
Base: 25,103 European adults
UK
G
er
m
an
y
Fi
nl
an
Ne
d
th
er
la
nd
s
Ro
m
an
ia
Cz
Po
ec
la
n
h
Re d
pu
bl
ic
La
tv
ia
Sl
ov
ak
ia
8%
EU
27
G
re
ec
e
14%
93% 93% 93% 92% 92% 91% 91% 91% 90% 89%
88% 88% 88% 86% 86% 85% 85% 85% 85% 84% 84%
83% 83% 81% 78%
77% 74%
Ita
l
Po y
rtu
ga
l
Sp
ai
n
M
al
ta
Cy
pr
Lu
us
xe
m
bo
ur
Hu g
ng
ar
y
Ire
la
nd
Es
to
ni
a
Be
lg
iu
m
Au
st
ria
Sl
ov
en
ia
Fr
an
ce
Li
th
ua
ni
a
Bu
lg
ar
De ia
nm
ar
k
Sw
ed
en
86%
Disagree

6. The economy,
stupid?

7. Not all richer countries are happier

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/04/16/business/20080416_LEONHARDT_GRAPHIC.jpg

8. What’s with the Danes??
On the whole, are you very satisfied, fairly satisfied, not very satisfied or not at all satisfied with the life you lead? (Std EB, Nov 10)
What are your expectations for the next twelve months: will the next twelve months be better, worse or the
same, when it comes to...Your life in general? (Std EB: Nov 10)
% Very Satisfied (EU)
Denmark
Greece
France
UK
Germany
Spain
Italy
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Sep-73
Sep-79
Sep-85
Sep-91
Sep-97
Sep-03
Sep-09
8

9. The challenge
in the UK

10. What would make you happier?
Q Which four or five of the following things do you think would
make you happier?
37
35
More time with family
Earning double what I do
now
Better health
30
23
22
21
19
17
16
15
13
12
More time with friends
More travelling
More time for leisure/sport
Better community spirit
Having a happy marriage
More contact with nature
Better housing
Learning new skills
Moving abroad
Moving jobs
More time to think/be alone
6
5
Base: 2,015 interviewed face to face in home in GB aged 15 +, 20-25 Sept

11. What would make you happiest?
%
60
50
Loads
more
money
More time
with my
family
Better Health
40
30
20
More/better
possessions
10
0
15-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65-74
Age
Base: 2,015 interviewed face to face in home in GB aged 15 +, 20-25 Sept
75+

12. What would make you happiest?
%
50
40
30
Doubled
income
More time
with my
family
More access to
nature
Better housing
20
10
AB
C1
C2
Social Class
Base: 2,015 interviewed face to face in home in GB aged 15 +, 20-25 Sept
DE

13. Money does
matter to a very
large proportion of
the population’s
happiness…

14. What else works?

15. Leisure and relationships……
“If you want to be happy for a few
hours, get drunk. If you want to
be happy for a few years, get a
wife. If you want to be happy
forever, get a garden”
Traditional

16. Leisure and relationships
77%
Satisfaction by frequency of gardening
74%
74%
73%
72%
71%
At least
once a
week
At least
once a
month
Several
times a
year
Once a
year or
less
Never/alm
ost never
Total

17. Do some sport……..
Life satisfaction by regularity of walking, swimming or playing
sport
76%
74%
73%
73%
72%
70%
At least
once a
week
At least
once a
month
Several
times a
year
Once a
year or
less
Never/alm
ost never
Total

18. Get Married
33%
31%
% very happy
25%
16%
Married
Cohabiting
Single
Divorced/sep
arated
Base: 2,015 interviewed face to face in home in GB aged 15 +, 20-25 Sept

19. Get Qualified
% very happy
35%
30%
28%
23%
Degree or
PHd
A Levels
GSCE
None
Base: 2,015 interviewed face to face in home in GB aged 15 +, 20-25 Sept

20. Go to church
47%
39%
35%
31%
26%
Never
28%
Several
times a
year
Monthly
+
Nearly
weekly
Weekly
Several
times
weekly

21. Avoid middle age and teenagers
Taking all things together, would you say in general you are…
% Unhappy/ Very unhappy
15-34
35-54
55-74
75+
Base: 2013 British adults
% Very Happy
31
-3
26
-5
-2
-4
29
30

22. The terror of teenagers!
%
Study 1
Study 2
Study 3
Study 4
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
Married
without
children
Child
bearing
Pre-school School Teenagers, First child Empty nest Empty next
children,
children, oldest 12gone to
to
to death of
oldest 5 oldest 5-12
16
last leaving retirement
first
at home
spouse

23. The problems of adaption,
estimation bias and social
comparison

24. Things are never as good or as bad as we
think they will be...
Happiness and getting married…….
7.8
Life Satisfaction
7.7
7.6
7.5
7.4
7.3
7.2
7.1
7
-4.0
-3.0
-2.0
-1.0
0.0
1.0
Lucas, Clark, Georgellis, and Diener (2003). N ~24,000
2.0
3.0
4.0

25. Some things that might increase happiness
 Get married
 Become richer than your friends, but stay friends with them to beat
the problem of social comparison
 As you earn more, try to constrain the growth in your spending to
beat the problem of adaption
 Find religion, and attend meetings at least monthly, if not weekly
 Find some extra leisure time and spend more time with friends
and family
 Get a degree
 Visit your doctor for a health test – the healthier, the happier
 Live to a ripe old age – being middle aged is just depressing

26. ben.page@ipsos.com