Relational Goods, Sociability, and Happiness

27 Pages Posted: 3 Apr 2008

See all articles by Leonardo Becchetti

Leonardo Becchetti

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics

Alessandra Pelloni

University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Economics and Finance, Students

Fiammetta Rossetti

University of Rome II

Date Written: March 1, 2008

Abstract

The role of sociability and relational goods has generally been neglected in the formulation of standard economics textbook preferences. Our findings show that relational goods have significant and positive effects on self declared life satisfaction, net of the impact of other concurring factors. We also document that such effects persist when the equally significant inverse causality nexus is taken into account. This implies that a more intense relational life enhances life satisfaction and, at the same time, happier people have a more lively social life. Finally, we show that gender, age and education matter by showing that the effects of sociability on happiness are stronger for women, older and less educated individuals.

Suggested Citation

Becchetti, Leonardo and Pelloni, Alessandra and Rossetti, Fiammetta, Relational Goods, Sociability, and Happiness (March 1, 2008). CEIS Working Paper No. 117, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1115838 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1115838

Leonardo Becchetti (Contact Author)

University of Rome Tor Vergata - Faculty of Economics ( email )

Via Columbia, 2
I-00133 Rome
Italy

Alessandra Pelloni

University of Rome Tor Vergata, Department of Economics and Finance, Students ( email )

Rome
Italy

Fiammetta Rossetti

University of Rome II ( email )

Via di Tor Vergata
Rome, Lazio 00133
Italy

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