The Impact of Response Biases on the Variation in Life Satisfaction

Abstract

Despite the abundance of empirical research on life satisfaction, disparities remain regard- ing 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 sur- veys influenced the variation in life satisfaction. The study employs various methodologi- cal 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 eleven- point 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.