Paul Dolan|Robert Metcalfe
Measuring Subjective Wellbeing: Recommendations on Measures for use by National Governments
London School of Economics and Political Science|University of Oxford
abstract governments around world beginning seriously consider use measures subjective wellbeing swb ratings thoughts feelings life monitoring progress informing appraising public policy mental state account wellbeing upon swb measures based provide useful additional information well badly life compared provided objective list preference satisfaction accounts may particularly useful deciding best allocate scarce resources desirable express benefits intervention single metric compared costs intervention three main concepts swb literature evaluation life satisfaction experience momentary mood eudemonia purpose policymakers seek measure three least purposes monitoring progress major challenges use swb measures two related wellrehearsed issues effects expectations adaptation ratings degree allow wellbeing vary according expectations adaptation vexing moral problems information swb highlight difference allowing considerations would practice eg informing prioiritisation decisions fed normative debate also questions precisely attention drawn swb questions capture ratings least inclined take part surveys addressed widespread use swb also provide concrete recommendations precisely questions asked largescale surveys recommendations taken office national statistics uk looked closely oecd