The Impact of Response Biases on the Variation in Life Satisfaction

Abstract

Despite the abundance of empirical research on life satisfaction, disparities remain regarding its variation. Using data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), this study analyses to what extent biases in the design and implementation of life satisfaction surveys influenced the variation in life satisfaction. The study employs various methodological approaches, including distributional analysis, descriptive statistics, Markov transition probabilities and logistic regression. Consequently, this study demonstrates the significant positive and non-adaptive changes in life satisfaction that can arise when an interviewer is present during a survey. Moreover, the method of measuring life satisfaction on an elevenpoint integer scale has a substantial impact. The midpoints of the scale are frequently used by individuals to assess their lives, which results in a balance between positive and negative evaluations. These findings have broader implications for the overall level of variation. It appears unlikely that an average life satisfaction score of more than 8 can be maintained over the long term on a scale of 0 to 10. It should be noted that the scale also impacts adaptive processes. Additionally, the patterns of dissatisfaction and satisfaction variation differ. For a more nuanced understanding of the causes, future research may benefit from analyzing periods of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with life separately.