By Ruut Veenhoven and co-workers
RISBO, Erasmus University Rotterdam, 1994, ISBN 90-72597-47-8, 2027 pages
This book presents a collection of empirical research-findings on happiness. It lists correlational findings. These findings are presented in small standard-abstracts, which briefly describe variables, measurement, population, sampling and statistics. The abstracts are ordered according to subject matter. The collection is limited to studies that measure happiness in the sense of overall appreciation of one's life as a whole; and do so in an acceptable way.
At 1-1-1995 the inventory contained 603 studies from 69 different countries between 1911 and 1994. Together these studies yield 7837 separate findings. These findings concern a great variety of subject matters: e.g. environmental characteristics, psychological qualities, socio-economic background and life history. Zero-order correlations as well as multiple order correlations are involved, and transversal as well as longitudinal observations.
This catalog presents data pre-organized for synthetic studies; for literature reviews, meta-analysis as well as for trend-analysis. It elaborates the preliminary phase that is typically neglected in research-synthesis. The catalog provides the multitude of heterogeneous data on happiness in a surveyable way. Identification of cause and effect is facilitated by standard pre-categorization of relevant data for that purpose. Ordering of the findings by time and nation eases comparison across time and culture. The catalog is a useful tool for improving cumulation of knowledge on happiness. The method can be applied on other subjects as well.
The 'Catalog of Happiness Correlates' is part of a wider 'WORLD
DATABASE OF HAPPINESS', which also included the 'Bibliography of Happiness, the 'Catalog
of Happiness in Nations" and the "Directory of Happiness Researchers'.
Updated version available at http://worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl/hap_cor/cor_fp.htm