Wellbeing in Vermont: Insights from the Happiness Index
Conference Year
January 2019
Abstract
New measurement tools have been recently developed to address aspects of societal wellbeing that are not readily captured by traditional economic indicators, such as life satisfaction or environmental health. Subjective wellbeing - one’s reported experience of their own lives - has been incorporated in many new measures of wellbeing in recognition of the value of individual perceptions of life, but questions remain regarding their fitness for use and effective incorporation into public decision-making. This research examines the Vermont Happiness Survey as a tool for wellbeing measurement in Vermont, which is a vetted survey instrument developed by the U.S.-based Happiness Alliance. The survey interviewed a representative sample of Vermonters in 2013 and 2017, and asked scaled questions within eleven defined domains. First, the methodology and fitness for use of subjective wellbeing indices will be reviewed. The results of the survey will then be analyzed through statistical analysis. Lastly, a qualitative comparison between survey responses and other polling and ranking initiatives will shed light on inconsistencies between measurements. The findings will contribute to a greater understanding of how Vermonters perceive various aspects of life, such as their physical health, community vitality, and material wellbeing, as well as correlations between particular demographics and domain satisfaction. A discussion regarding how this information could be used in a policy or decision-making setting, as well as the potential for formal implementation of the survey tool itself, concludes the article.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Jane Kolodinsky
Secondary Mentor Name
Michael Moser
Status
Graduate
Student College
Graduate College
Program/Major
Community Development and Applied Economics
Primary Research Category
Vermont Studies
Secondary Research Category
Social Sciences
Wellbeing in Vermont: Insights from the Happiness Index
New measurement tools have been recently developed to address aspects of societal wellbeing that are not readily captured by traditional economic indicators, such as life satisfaction or environmental health. Subjective wellbeing - one’s reported experience of their own lives - has been incorporated in many new measures of wellbeing in recognition of the value of individual perceptions of life, but questions remain regarding their fitness for use and effective incorporation into public decision-making. This research examines the Vermont Happiness Survey as a tool for wellbeing measurement in Vermont, which is a vetted survey instrument developed by the U.S.-based Happiness Alliance. The survey interviewed a representative sample of Vermonters in 2013 and 2017, and asked scaled questions within eleven defined domains. First, the methodology and fitness for use of subjective wellbeing indices will be reviewed. The results of the survey will then be analyzed through statistical analysis. Lastly, a qualitative comparison between survey responses and other polling and ranking initiatives will shed light on inconsistencies between measurements. The findings will contribute to a greater understanding of how Vermonters perceive various aspects of life, such as their physical health, community vitality, and material wellbeing, as well as correlations between particular demographics and domain satisfaction. A discussion regarding how this information could be used in a policy or decision-making setting, as well as the potential for formal implementation of the survey tool itself, concludes the article.