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Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being: Comparing Societies with Respect to Gender Equality

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Abstract

These analyses explore the relationship between gender inequality and subjective well-being. The hypothesis was tested as to whether societal gender inequality is related to the size of gender differences in subjective well-being in various societies. Results come from comparative data sets (World Values Survey, involving 57 countries; OASIS project, involving Norway, England, Germany, Spain and Israel). The size of gender differences varied with the extent of societal gender inequality and the cultural attitudes regarding gender equality in different countries. Including individual resources like education and income in the analyses reduced the size of gender and country differences. Gender differences in subjective well-being could therefore be related to gender specific access to goal relevant resources.

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Acknowledgments

The OASIS project (Old Age and Autonomy: The Role of Service Systems and Intergenerational Family Solidarity) was funded within the 5th Framework Program „Quality of Life” of the European Commission (QLK6-CT-1999-02182) and involves five research teams from Oslo, Norway (NOVA), Keele, United Kingdom (Keele University), Bilbao, Spain (University of the Basque Country), Haifa, Israel (University of Haifa) and Berlin, Germany (German Centre of Gerontology).

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  1. German Centre of Gerontology, Manfred-von-Richthofen-Strasse 2, 12101, Berlin, Germany

    Clemens Tesch-Römer & Andreas Motel-Klingebiel

  2. Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany

    Martin J. Tomasik

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  1. Clemens Tesch-Römer
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Correspondence to Clemens Tesch-Römer.

 

 

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Tesch-Römer, C., Motel-Klingebiel, A. & Tomasik, M.J. Gender Differences in Subjective Well-Being: Comparing Societies with Respect to Gender Equality. Soc Indic Res 85, 329–349 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-007-9133-3

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