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Human Happiness and the Midlife ‘Crisis’ Andrew Oswald University of Warwick, UK
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Human Happiness and the Midlife ‘Crisis’ Andrew Oswald University of Warwick, UK I would like to acknowledge that much of this work is joint with coauthors Andrew Clark, Nick Powdthavee, David G. Blanchflower, Alex Weiss, Rainer Winkelmann, Dilip Jeste, and Steve Wu. I thank the ESRC for support.
The bottom line today • There really is a midlife low
The bottom line today • There really is a midlife low • It happens equally in men and women
The bottom line today • There really is a midlife low • It happens equally in men and women • It is scientifically unexplained
The bottom line today • There really is a midlife low • It happens equally in men and women • It is scientifically unexplained • There is a possibility that it is somehow biological.
Using random samples from many nations: Researchers try to understand what influences the psychological wellbeing of (i) (ii)
Using random samples from many nations: Researchers try to understand what influences the psychological wellbeing of (i) individuals (ii) nations.
Regression equations Mental well-being = f(Age, gender, education level, income, marital status, friendship networks, region, year…)
Big effects on happiness: Unemployment Divorce Marriage Bereavement Friendship networks Health No effects from children [but + for grandchildren: Nick Powdthavee]
The latest UK government data(Sample: 100,000 Britons) Blanchflower-Oswald estimates
Recent US data (Sample: 400,000 Americans) Blanchflower-Oswald estimates
The probability of depression by age Males, LFS data set 2004-2006 0.02 0.015 0.01 Regression coefficient 0.005 0 -0.005 -0.01 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 Year of birth
Depression by age among females: LFS data 2004-2006Q2 0.002 0 -0.002 -0.004 Regression coefficient -0.006 -0.008 -0.01 -0.012 -0.014 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 Year of birth
The Relationship Between the Probability of Antidepressant Use and Age (European nations)
But what causes the midlife dip? It is nothing to do with having young children, and is found all over the world.
But what causes the midlife dip? It is nothing to do with having young children, and is found all over the world. 65+ nations so far.
Until recently, the leading theory was one of thwarted aspirations.
Until recently, the leading theory was one of thwarted aspirations.
But researchers around the world must now consider throwing away that theory.
Weiss, A., King, J.E., Inoue-Murayam, M., Matsuzama, T. and Oswald, A.J. (2012). ‘Evidence for a midlife crisis in great apes consistent with the U-shape in human well-being’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, vol. 109, pp. 19949-19952.
There is also new, and truly longitudinal, cross-national evidence. Cheng, T., Powdthavee, N., and Oswald, A.J. (2015). ‘Longitudinal evidence for a midlife low in human well-being: Results from four data sets’, Economic Journal, forthcoming.
What lesson might be drawn? • A midlife crisis, in some form, is intrinsically natural.
What lesson might be drawn? • A midlife crisis, in some form, is intrinsically natural.