Figure 17. Trends in Life Satisfaction in the European Union
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с
S
2
I o∙o
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I -0.1.
Cd
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Average of a changing EU.
Spliced fixed-weight series
— EU-9 average.
--- Regression-adjusted
1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008
Source: Eurobarometer, 1973-2007.
Notes: Lines depict alternative aggregations of semiannual time series of life satisfaction for each country, derived by running an ordered probit of satisfaction on country × wave fixed
effects. “Average of a changing EU” is calculated by taking a population-weighted average of the satisfaction indices for the set of countries that were members of the European Community
or the European Union at the indicated point in time; and hence the average is affected by changes in the group’s composition. “EU-9 average” is calculated by taking a fixed-weight
average of the satisfaction indices of the nine members of the European Community at the beginning of the sample: Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom; weights reflect the average population share of each country in the group. ”Spliced fixed-weight series” simply sums through time first
differences in the broadest available fixed-weight average of satisfaction in the member nations; consistent fixed-weight indices were calculated separately for each constellation through the
sample: EU-9 (summer 1973-fall 2007), EU-10 (adding Greece, from 1981 onward), EU-12 (adding Portugal and Spain, from 1986 onward), EU-12+ (adding East German surveys, from
the fall 1990 survey onward), EU-16 (adding Austria, Finland, and Sweden from 1995 onward), EU-26 (adding Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta,
Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia from the fall 2004 survey onward), and EU-27 (adding Bulgaria and Romania, from 2007 onward). Population weights for each index reflect the average
population share of each country in that aggregate. “Regression-adjusted” index is the series of time fixed effects estimated by running a population-weighted OLS regression of individual
country satisfaction indices on survey time fixed effects, controlling for country fixed effects
Figures—17