Findings on happiness in Veroff et al. (1981): study US 1976

Publication
Author(s)Veroff, J.; Douvan, E.; Kulka, R.A.
TitleThe Inner American: A Self-Portrait from 1957 to 1976.
SourceBasic Books, 1981, New York, USA
Investigation
Public21+ aged, general public, USA, 1976
Survey nameNot available
SampleNot available
 Samples drawn by a multistage probability area design (Kish and Hess, 1965).
Respondents N =2264
Non Response29%
AssesmentInterview: face-to-face
 Structured interview
Happiness measure(s) used
Full textSelfreport on single question: Taken all together, how would you say things are these days? Would you say that you are....? 3 very happy 2 pretty happy 1 not too happy
ClassificationO-HL-c-sq-v-3-aa
Author's labelHappiness
RemarksData 1957 1976 very happy 30%, pretty happy 57%, not too happy 11%, not ascertained 2,7%
DKNA %1.0
Finding used in
nation ranks		Yes
 On original range 1 - 3On range 0 - 10
Mean2.247.32
Standard deviation0.631.65

Scores in123
%11.054.035.0
Full textSelfreport on single question: In general how satisfying do you find the way you are spending your life these days. Would you call it.....? 3 completely satisfying 2 pretty satisfying 1 not very satisfying
ClassificationO-SLL-c-sq-v-3-a
Author's labelSatisfaction
Remarksdata 1976
DKNA %1.0
Finding used in
nation ranks		Yes
 On original range 1 - 3On range 0 - 10
Mean2.066.88
Standard deviation0.511.53

Scores in123
%10.073.016.0

Correlational findings

Author's label Our subject description
Ageshow  Current age (in years)
Being a full-time housewiveshow  Full-time home maker
Being retiredshow  Current status: retired or not
Broken home backgroundshow  Number of parents (broken home)
Church attendanceshow  Participation in church
Educationshow  Level of school-education
Expected happinessshow  In the long run
Father's occupationshow  'Objective' socio-economic status
Father's occupationshow  Parents occupation, also classified as above ↑
Incomeshow  Current income level (unspecified)
Male sexshow  Sex (male vs female)
Marital status: married vs divorcedshow  Married vs divorced
Marital status: single vs divorcedshow  Vs divorced
Marital status: single vs marriedshow  Married vs never married
Population densityshow  Community size
Praying when unhappyshow  Current coping-style
Praying when unhappyshow  Praying, also classified as above ↑
Region in USAshow  Region in USA
Religionshow  Current religious denomination
Sources of unhappinessshow  Perceived sources of one's own happiness
Sources of happinessshow  Perceived sources of one's own happiness
Sources of worryshow  Specific worries
Talking when worriedshow  Current coping-style
White raceshow  Ethnic status in the USA
Workingshow  Current employment status
Zestshow  Psychological-morale inventories