Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 15, 2025
07:40
Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
3.5K
The Mid-Life Dip in Well-Being: a Critique
David G Blanchflower1,2,3, Carol L Graham4,5,6
1Bruce V. Rauner Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA.
Social Indicators Research
|October 25, 2021
Summary
Well-being often dips in middle age, a finding supported by 409 studies. This mid-life well-being decline is significant and comparable to major life events.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Numerous studies indicate a mid-life dip in well-being.
- However, some psychological literature disputes the existence or significance of this U-shape curve.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the robustness and generalizability of the mid-life dip in well-being.
- To counter claims that the U-shape evidence is overblown or trivial.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 409 studies, including peer-reviewed publications, that report U-shapes in well-being.
- Utilized large-scale datasets: Eurobarometer Surveys (1980-2019), Gallup World Poll (2005-2019), UK Annual Population Survey (2016-2019), and US Household Pulse Survey (August 2021).
Main Results:
- Found strong, consistent, and statistically significant evidence of non-trivial U-shapes in age and well-being across diverse countries.
- Re-examined data from studies disputing the U-shape and found errors in their conclusions.
- The mid-life well-being decline is comparable in magnitude to losing a spouse or unemployment.
Conclusions:
- The mid-life dip in well-being is a robust and significant phenomenon, contrary to some psychological claims.
- The magnitude of this decline is substantial, comparable to major adverse life events and significant societal well-being shifts.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
375
Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development outlines a series of stages through which individuals progress across the lifespan. Each stage involves a psychosocial conflict that significantly influences personal growth and well-being. Three key stages — intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair — highlight the developmental challenges faced in adulthood.
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
375
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
48
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
48
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.5K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.5K
03:00Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
5.5K
Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...
5.5K
01:27Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
30
Social comparison plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of personal success and self-worth. Rather than assessing our achievements in isolation, we interpret their significance relative to personal goals and critically in comparison to the performance of others. A grade of B in a mathematics exam might elicit pride if one's expectation was a C, yet result in disappointment if an A was anticipated or if peers achieved superior results. These comparative evaluations illustrate how both...
30
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
373
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
373