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International Measures of Subjective Well-Being Are Needed by Policy Makers

HDRO Conference Room
8 October 2008

Time: 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Topic

United Nations should publish data on the subjective well-being of nations, since these figures capture many aspects of quality of life that are not assessed by existing social and economic indicators such as the HDI. The subjective measures now have proven validity, and reflect factors such as crime, corruption, trust, and pollution that influence people’s quality of lives, and have strengths that complement the conventional indicators of quality of life. Evidence is reviewed that nations that are high in well-being are more likely to be peaceful, healthy, and prosperous. For example, it is likely that high well-being is causal in increasing health and longevity. Examples of the use of well-being measurement for policy-relevant issues are reviewed, and possible objections to the well-being measures are answered. Resistance to the well-being measures stems from philosophical and empirical arguments that, it is argued, are no longer tenable. Thus, the adoption of well-being measures by nations and international organizations is overdue.

About the Speaker

Ed Diener is Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois and Senior Scientist for the Gallup Organization. He has been president of a number of psychology and well-being societies including, currently, the International Positive Psychology Association and has edited a number of academic journals in the field. Ed Diener has over 240 publications, with about 190 being in the area of the psychology of well-being. His most recent book is "Well-being for public policy."

Presentation

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