Abstract
The Anamnestic Comparative Self-Assessment (ACSA) uses a self-anchoring rating scale to measure subjective well-being. Because of its internal frame of reference, ACSA is argued to be less influenced by cultural relativities and psychological traits. We collect survey data in Flanders that contain both a conventional happiness question (CQ) and ACSA. It is the first time that ACSA data are collected in a developed country outside of a clinical setting. In line with previous research, we find that the mean score for ACSA is significantly lower than the mean CQ score and that both scores are positively correlated. Social life (family, relationships, and friends) is cited most when self-anchoring the best period in life, whereas health issues and personal events are most often linked to the worst period in life. These findings add to the idea that the anchors of the ACSA scale are universal. In a simple model, we find that ACSA is determined by two variables that can change over time: being employed and being in a relation. In an extended model, however, ACSA’s insensitivity to socio-demographic variables that are not amenable to change no longer holds and personality traits become important.
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Notes
Møller and Theuns (2013) did not report on this.
The survey was called LEVO (edition 2014), which is short for “LEvensomstandigheden in Vlaanderen Onderzocht” and can be translated as “Inquiry into the life circumstances in Flanders”.
As the maximum weight was 1, the weighted sample consisted of a lower number than the original sample. Rescaling the weights to obtain the same number of respondents as in the original sample would not alter the results.
In Dutch, we used the word “prestaties”, which was translated into “achievements” and “failures” for the best and worst period, respectively.
Van Praag and Ferrer-i-Carbonell (2010) studied the impact of the estimation method used in happiness regressions and concluded “that we do not have to be very anxious on which particular estimation method is used” (p.15).
When age square is not included in the models as in Bernheim et al. (2006), age is not significant in the CQ model (and it is still not significant in the ACSA model). The other results remain identical.
Note that deleting the variables concerning age or education (that are not significant) has no effect on the results and conclusions.
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Verhofstadt, E., Bleys, B. & Van Ootegem, L. Comparing the Anamnestic Comparative Self-Assessment (ACSA) to a Conventional Happiness Question Without Anchoring. Applied Research Quality Life 14, 237–251 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-017-9589-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-017-9589-5