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Cohort variation in happiness: some hypotheses and exploratory analyses
1Department of Psychology, New York University.
International Journal of Aging & Human Development
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Cohort differences significantly impact adult well-being. Older adults born before 1900 linked happiness to survival and Protestant values, unlike the post-WWII baby boom generation.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Cohort factors contribute to variations in adult well-being reports.
- Individual well-being evaluations are shaped by cohort-specific socializing influences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how historical and age differences influence well-being.
- To test hypotheses about cohort-specific values using historical data.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of historical and sociological sources to profile two older adult cohorts.
- Testing hypotheses with survey data collected in 1957 and 1976 by Veroff et al.
Main Results:
- Findings do not support a unique link between post-WWII baby boomers' happiness and concerns about marriage/children.
- Partial support found for adults born before 1900: their happiness correlates with survival needs and Protestant ethic values.
Conclusions:
- Cohort membership influences the basis of well-being evaluations.
- Distinctive value systems across cohorts shape happiness, particularly for pre-1900 adults.