Money Brings Happiness? New Study Offers Surprising Answer

Contrary to the notion that money only impacts general life satisfaction, a new study involving 33 European countries demonstrates that national income significantly affects people's daily mood as well. The research, published in the journal Nature, analyzed data from nearly 178,000 individuals collected between 2006 and 2023.

Researchers compared data from four waves of the European Social Survey, encompassing responses from 33 countries across 2006, 2012, 2014, and 2023. They correlated this information with the real GDP per capita in each nation. The results were clear: a higher national income is associated with both greater life satisfaction and a better daily mood, a connection that held true over time.

This finding challenges many older studies that suggested daily emotional states were largely independent of income. The authors of the new study attribute this discrepancy to measurement methods. Previous research often used simple 'yes or no' questions, whereas this study employed more detailed scales with multiple response options. This more nuanced approach revealed the visible link between income and mood, indicating that people genuinely feel the difference rather than just abstractly evaluating their lives.

The study's findings have significant implications for public policy worldwide. If increased income translates not only into better life assessments but also into improved daily emotions, then economic growth holds greater importance for overall well-being than previously recognized. The research also covered challenging periods, including the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, reinforcing the link between economic prosperity and emotional states.

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Dacă venitul mai mare aduce și emoții mai bune, nu doar judecăți mentale, atunci creșterea economică contează mai mult decât se credea.