Generativity, aging and subjective well-being
- PDF / 853,280 Bytes
- 44 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
- 20 Downloads / 197 Views
Generativity, aging and subjective well‑being Leonardo Becchetti1 · Davide Bellucci2 Received: 7 March 2020 / Accepted: 12 September 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract We show that generativity, intended as the capacity of affecting positively other human lives, has a strong and significant effect on life sense and life satisfaction of individuals aged 50 and above. We define three generativity dimensions: individual generativity power, local generativity power and individual generativity in act. We find that generativity in act (both in its leisure and work dimensions) has a positive and significant effect on subjective well-being. The gross effect is, however, smaller than the net effect since generativity in act is negatively correlated with the internal locus of control (control over one’s own life). Our findings have strong policy implications since generativity affects consumption and saving choices of utility maximizing economic agents and policymakers may create consensus by building generative societies. Keywords Life satisfaction · Subjective well-being · Life sense · Generativity JEL Classification A13 · B21 · D64 · I31
1 Introduction Mill “Those only are happy, I thought, who have their minds fixed on some object other than their own happiness, on the happiness of others, on the improvement of mankind, even on some art or pursuit, followed not as a means, but as itself an ideal end. Aiming thus at something else, they find happiness by the way” (Mill, 1893: p.117) The act of programming our (car or smartphone) satellite navigator to drive or walk toward a desired destination has become one of the most common actions in our lives. The most important decision when deliberating about such action is to * Leonardo Becchetti [email protected] 1
University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
2
Collegio Carlo Alberto, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
13
Vol.:(0123456789)
L. Becchetti, D. Bellucci
choose and write where to go. Once this choice has been made, the decision on “how to go” is taken by the satellite navigator that is programmed to minimize the time needed to reach the chosen destination. In a similar way, in the more general issue of life direction, the crucial decision for rational and maximizing individuals consists of defining the destination that maximizes their own life sense and satisfaction as a goal for their life journey. After this decision is taken, rationality plays the role of the satellite navigator ensuring consistency between means and ends. This is why understanding drivers of life satisfaction is one of the most important topics in social and economic research if scholars and policymakers want to understand human action and choices. Our paper aims to provide an original contribution to this important field of the literature by investigating an absolutely new and unexplored concept in economics (generativity) and testing its role as a driver of life satisfaction, with empirical findings that open the way to important considerations for social and economic
Data Loading...
