If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! Survey design and the analysis of satisfaction

Abstract

Surveys differ in the way they measure satisfaction and happiness, so comparative research
findings are vulnerable to distortion by survey design differences. We examine this using the
British Household Panel Survey, exploiting its changes in question design and parallel use
of different interview modes. We find significant biases in econometric results, particularly
for gender differences in attitudes to the wage and hours of work. Results suggest that the
common empirical finding that women care less than men about their wage and more about
their hours may be an artifact of survey design rather than a real behavioural difference.