Time Well Spent versus a Life Considered: Changing Subjective Well-Being in China

Abstract

Using unique longitudinal survey data that employed the Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) to measure experienced utility in rural China, this study reveals striking differences in the trends for life satisfaction and experienced utility. Consistent with previous studies, we find that reported life satisfaction changed little over the period 2006 to 2009. However, experienced utility increased significantly during the same period. The improvement in experienced utility is due mainly to more positive feelings about specific activities, rather than changes in the time spent on different activities. These findings are consistent with the predictions of aspiration adaptation theory.

Keywords: subjective well-being, experienced utility, time use, day reconstruction method

JEL Classification: I31, J22