A national quality of life index based on a new research method
may soon supplement indicators like the gross domestic product.
Noble laureate and Wilson School professor Daniel Kahneman and
economist Alan Krueger were part of an inter-university team
that developed the Day Reconstruction Method for measuring the
emotional quality of people's daily experiences. The Day
Reconstruction Method requires survey participants to rank
specific activities from the previous day on an "enjoyment
scale." Kahneman said he thought a new method of ascertaining
people's quality of life was necessary because all previous
surveys, such as the standard Experience Sampling Method, ask
only "superficial, general questions." As a result, "global
evaluations are inaccurate," Kahneman said. In their initial
survey, 909 working women in Texas composed the sample
population. By analyzing the women's responses to their
activities, the research team gauged whether people actually
enjoy daily activities by getting their opinions directly