Удовлетворенность жизнью и счастье россиян зрелого возраста

Abstract

The article describes the results of the empirical study into sociodemographic correlates and subjective correlates of happiness. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that the modern world places exorbitant, often conflicting requirements (information-driven, need and motive-based, value-oriented, etc.) on the individual. Our study aimed to define the linkage between the happiness of mature Russians and their satisfaction with different aspects of life. We formed the hypothesis of a connection between happiness and satisfaction with the job, material situation, health, proper rest, inter-spousal relations, and relationships with their children and friends. The results revealed that the feelings of happiness are connected with both objective socio-demographic indicators and the level of satisfaction with different life aspects. Happiness positively correlates with the number of children in a family and income, and also with overall life satisfaction. With age, a subjective sense of happiness “fades” a bit, and the respondents estimate happiness slightly lower (it is more characteristic of the female part of the sample). Men and women do not differ in the level of being happy but there exist some peculiarities in the linkage of happiness with such factors as marital status (being married) and the number of children – unlike men, for women these correlations are statistically significant. Also, men, compared to women, are more satisfied with the material situation and inter-spousal relations and less satisfied with their relations with friends. In general, the obtained results complement the data published in academic literature. Thus, it was found that not all factors considered as predictors of happiness in the public mind correlate with the feelings of happiness. For instance, it was revealed that such an essential factor of material wellbeing as homeownership has nothing to do with a sense of happiness: the respondents with and without own homes are equally happy