Life Satisfaction

Summary

General life satisfaction has been measured with an individual item in the SOEP on an annual basis since 1984. Domain-specific life satisfaction was initially measured with seven items (1984-1990), and since 2008 with ten items. Items 1 to 5 can be combined into one scale in all survey years (Schimmack, Krause, Wagner, & Schupp, 2009). In addition, satisfaction in 11 further domains is surveyed at irregular intervals.

Theoretical Background

Since its inception, the SOEP has included cognitive measures of well-being. The first measure is the global 11-point rating of life satisfaction (Schimmack, Schupp, & Wagner, 2008). This item is used almost exclusively as a measure of well-being in the SOEP. The reasons for its popularity are its high face validity and the widespread use of life satisfaction ratings in the well-being literature. Single-item measures of life satisfaction are a reasonably valid and common way to measure general life satisfaction: moderate associations with other well-being measures, including written interviews, informant reports, and measures of daily affect are reported by Sandvik, Diener, and Seidlitz (1993). Research using the World Value Survey (http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org) found single-item measures of life satisfaction to be positively related to affect balance and positive affect, and inversely related to negative affect (Suh et al., 1998). The second measure is the average of various domain satisfactions that are routinely assessed in the SOEP (health, household income, dwelling, and leisure time). This measure has two drawbacks. First, it does not weigh domains by their subjective importance. Second, the measure fails to capture aspects of well-being that are not covered by the domains included in the survey (Schimmak, 2008). A key advantage of this measure is that it relies not solely on respondents’ ability to summarize and weigh all relevant aspects of their lives in response to a single question about satisfaction with life in general.

Scale Development

Information on the further development, reliability, and validity of the items can be found in Kroh (2006), in Schimmak (2008) and in Schimmack, Krause, Wagner, & Schupp (2009).

References

Kroh, M. (2006). An experimental evaluation of popular well-being measures. Berlin: DIW Berlin.

Sandvik, E., Diener, E., & Seidlitz, L. (1993). Subjective well-being: The convergence and stability of self-report and non-self-report measures. Journal of Personality, 61, 317–342.

Schimmack, U., Schupp, J., & Wagner, G. G. (2008). The influence of environment and personality on the affective and cognitive component of subjective well-being. Social Indicators Research, 89, 41-60.

Schimmack, U., Krause, P., Wagner, G. G., & Schupp, J. (2009). Stability and change of Well Being: An experimentally enhanced Latent State-Trait-Error Analysis. Social Indicators Research, 95, 19-31.

Suh, E., Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Triandis, H. C. (1998). The shifting basis of life satisfaction judgments across cultures: Emotions versus norms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 482–493.

Items

1. How satisfied are you with your life, all things considered? (Wie zufrieden sind Sie gegenwärtig, alles in allem, mit Ihrem Leben?) How satisfied are you with (Wie zufrieden sind Sie):

2. your health (mit ihrer Gesundheit)?

3. your household income (mit dem Einkommen Ihres Haushalts)?

4. your dwelling (mit Ihrer Wohnung)?

5. your free time (mit Ihrer Freizeit / in den Jahren 1995, 1996: mit Ihrer Freizeittätigkeit)?

6. your job (mit ihrer Arbeit)?

7. your housework (mit ihrer Tätigkeit im Haushalt)?

8. the child care available (mit den vorhandenen Möglichkeiten der Kinderbetreuung)?

9. your personal income (mit Ihrem persönlichen Einkommen)?

10. your family life (mit Ihrem Familienleben)?

11. your sleep (mit Ihrem Schlaf)?

Scale: 0 (Completely dissatisfied / Ganz und gar unzufrieden) to 10 (Completely satisfied / Ganz und gar zufrieden)

Test-Retest Correlations

In 2005, 2006 and 2009, item 1 to 5 were included in retests taken by subsamples within 30 to 49 days after the initial test. Pooled across the years (minimal N = 603), test-retest correlations were (in scale order, item 1 to 5) .66, .64, .71, .67, and .56. The test-retest correlation of the scale based on these five items was .77.

Items and Scale Statistics

year	variable	count	mean	sd
1984	plh0182	12192	7.43	2.14
1984	plh0171	12224	7.00	2.67
1984	plh0175	12042	6.41	2.62
1984	plh0177	12167	7.60	2.54
1984	plh0178	12172	7.29	2.55
1984	plh0173	7024	7.65	2.28
1984	plh0174	7843	6.95	2.44
1985	plh0182	11050	7.24	2.05
1985	plh0171	11035	6.93	2.47
1985	plh0175	10872	6.46	2.46
1985	plh0177	10979	7.59	2.38
1985	plh0178	11006	7.14	2.44
1985	plh0173	6338	7.52	2.14
1985	plh0174	6433	6.95	2.26
1986	plh0182	10611	7.29	1.94
1986	plh0171	10618	6.89	2.44
1986	plh0175	10507	6.50	2.35
1986	plh0177	10587	7.56	2.29
1986	plh0178	10595	7.01	2.44
1986	plh0173	6169	7.41	2.12
1986	plh0174	6388	6.86	2.20
1987	plh0182	10482	7.14	1.96
1987	plh0171	10498	6.85	2.39
1987	plh0175	10400	6.52	2.28
1987	plh0177	7943	7.89	2.08
1987	plh0178	10459	7.07	2.37
1987	plh0173	6155	7.40	2.07
1987	plh0174	6363	6.91	2.11
1988	plh0182	9980	7.08	1.96
1988	plh0171	10001	6.78	2.39
1988	plh0175	9905	6.51	2.29
1988	plh0177	9978	7.52	2.24
1988	plh0178	9978	6.92	2.37
1988	plh0173	5837	7.25	2.09
1988	plh0174	6113	6.80	2.12
1989	plh0182	9679	7.10	1.94
1989	plh0171	9683	6.71	2.42
1989	plh0175	9600	6.53	2.25
1989	plh0177	9653	7.48	2.24
1989	plh0178	9651	6.85	2.37
1989	plh0173	5692	7.24	2.03
1989	plh0174	6065	6.69	2.13
1990	plh0182	13904	7.05	1.88
1990	plh0171	13940	6.75	2.43
1990	plh0175	13813	6.27	2.32
1990	plh0177	13890	7.29	2.43
1990	plh0178	9482	7.09	2.15
1990	plh0173	9079	7.22	2.15
1990	plh0174	6393	6.69	2.13
1990	plh0179	1483	7.59	2.65
1991	plh0182	13535	6.95	1.90
1991	plh0171	13643	6.75	2.34
1991	plh0175	13531	6.19	2.40
1991	plh0177	13622	7.29	2.32
1991	plh0178	13605	6.59	2.49
1991	plh0173	8534	6.96	2.28
1992	plh0182	13307	6.92	1.82
1992	plh0171	13349	6.81	2.32
1992	plh0175	13257	6.12	2.26
1992	plh0177	13307	7.14	2.31
1992	plh0178	13314	6.64	2.38
1992	plh0173	8050	7.23	1.98
1993	plh0182	13113	6.88	1.88
1993	plh0171	13146	6.66	2.31
1993	plh0175	12831	6.15	2.30
1993	plh0177	13095	7.22	2.32
1993	plh0178	13102	6.58	2.42
1993	plh0173	7786	7.05	2.06
1993	plh0174	8623	6.51	2.12
1994	plh0182	13344	6.86	1.85
1994	plh0171	13383	6.60	2.31
1994	plh0175	13096	6.05	2.33
1994	plh0177	13333	7.30	2.27
1994	plh0178	13323	6.55	2.43
1994	plh0173	7803	7.00	2.07
1994	plh0174	8986	6.51	2.12
1995	plh0182	13696	6.89	1.83
1995	plh0171	13709	6.67	2.25
1995	plh0175	13449	6.12	2.29
1995	plh0177	13626	7.29	2.24
1995	plh0178	13678	6.80	2.22
1995	plh0173	8537	6.89	2.20
1995	plh0174	9429	6.52	2.11
1996	plh0182	13489	6.90	1.78
1996	plh0171	13497	6.62	2.24
1996	plh0175	13242	6.18	2.27
1996	plh0177	13426	7.36	2.19
1996	plh0178	13455	6.79	2.33
1996	plh0173	8367	6.88	2.16
1996	plh0174	9294	6.54	2.06
1997	plh0182	13257	6.79	1.79
1997	plh0171	13250	6.59	2.21
1997	plh0175	12980	6.01	2.24
1997	plh0177	13170	7.35	2.13
1997	plh0178	13202	6.73	2.33
1997	plh0173	8073	6.85	2.12
1997	plh0174	9201	6.50	2.05
1997	plh0179	3612	6.53	2.40
1998	plh0182	14631	6.95	1.78
1998	plh0171	14615	6.65	2.23
1998	plh0175	14300	6.11	2.28
1998	plh0177	14527	7.48	2.08
1998	plh0178	14575	6.83	2.30
1998	plh0173	8762	6.89	2.15
1998	plh0174	10202	6.56	2.06
1998	plh0179	3811	6.67	2.43
1999	plh0182	14054	6.97	1.78
1999	plh0171	14044	6.61	2.24
1999	plh0175	13767	6.18	2.25
1999	plh0177	13964	7.53	2.04
1999	plh0178	13993	6.86	2.29
1999	plh0173	8555	6.90	2.12
1999	plh0174	9996	6.52	2.05
1999	plh0179	3746	6.63	2.42
2000	plh0182	24510	7.09	1.78
2000	plh0171	24534	6.76	2.27
2000	plh0175	24069	6.40	2.30
2000	plh0177	24405	7.72	2.02
2000	plh0178	24467	7.01	2.29
2000	plh0173	13485	7.05	2.20
2000	plh0174	17626	6.60	2.11
2000	plh0179	6064	6.61	2.62
2001	plh0182	22299	7.10	1.74
2001	plh0171	22270	6.77	2.24
2001	plh0175	21971	6.49	2.24
2001	plh0177	22194	7.74	1.95
2001	plh0178	22244	7.02	2.25
2001	plh0173	13262	7.06	2.16
2001	plh0174	16297	6.62	2.08
2001	plh0179	4482	6.54	2.70
2002	plh0182	23844	7.05	1.74
2002	plh0171	23838	6.75	2.21
2002	plh0175	23443	6.50	2.22
2002	plh0177	23723	7.78	1.91
2002	plh0178	23770	7.00	2.20
2002	plh0173	14486	7.04	2.14
2002	plh0174	17140	6.57	2.06
2002	plh0179	4257	6.53	2.54
2003	plh0182	22568	6.96	1.78
2003	plh0171	22571	6.73	2.19
2003	plh0175	22229	6.34	2.29
2003	plh0177	22494	7.76	1.92
2003	plh0178	22522	7.02	2.19
2003	plh0173	13465	6.96	2.17
2003	plh0174	16753	6.59	2.02
2003	plh0179	9420	6.33	2.47
2004	plh0182	21964	6.80	1.82
2004	plh0171	21940	6.61	2.24
2004	plh0175	21522	6.22	2.30
2004	plh0177	21858	7.85	1.86
2004	plh0178	21873	6.98	2.18
2004	plh0173	12964	6.87	2.21
2004	plh0174	16460	6.56	1.99
2004	plh0179	3986	6.35	2.59
2004	plh0176	21197	5.65	2.60
2005	plh0182	21040	6.95	1.83
2005	plh0171	21041	6.64	2.24
2005	plh0175	20710	6.25	2.34
2005	plh0177	20968	7.82	1.89
2005	plh0178	20993	6.98	2.24
2005	plh0173	12329	6.85	2.22
2005	plh0174	15904	6.58	2.03
2005	plh0179	3800	6.30	2.74
2005	plh0176	20340	5.65	2.66
2006	plh0182	22284	6.91	1.80
2006	plh0171	22306	6.64	2.23
2006	plh0175	21975	6.23	2.33
2006	plh0177	22230	7.81	1.89
2006	plh0178	22254	6.98	2.25
2006	plh0173	12865	6.89	2.19
2006	plh0174	17048	6.62	2.02
2006	plh0179	3650	6.37	2.71
2006	plh0176	21678	5.66	2.62
2006	plh0180	21971	7.71	1.98
2007	plh0182	20834	6.95	1.78
2007	plh0171	20843	6.58	2.20
2007	plh0175	20560	6.26	2.27
2007	plh0177	20761	7.82	1.82
2007	plh0178	20793	6.96	2.21
2007	plh0173	12260	6.85	2.16
2007	plh0174	16068	6.64	1.98
2007	plh0179	3485	6.40	2.70
2007	plh0176	20286	5.63	2.59
2007	plh0180	20523	7.68	1.97
2008	plh0182	19643	6.98	1.75
2008	plh0171	19655	6.56	2.18
2008	plh0175	19361	6.29	2.28
2008	plh0177	19598	7.96	1.77
2008	plh0178	19625	7.08	2.13
2008	plh0173	11644	6.90	2.10
2008	plh0174	15114	6.68	1.94
2008	plh0179	2924	6.78	2.53
2008	plh0176	19131	5.70	2.56
2008	plh0180	19526	7.80	1.99
2008	plh0172	19652	6.82	2.26
2009	plh0182	20733	6.98	1.78
2009	plh0171	20760	6.57	2.23
2009	plh0175	20484	6.40	2.30
2009	plh0177	20701	7.91	1.82
2009	plh0178	20728	7.13	2.15
2009	plh0173	12323	6.88	2.21
2009	plh0174	16271	6.78	1.96
2009	plh0179	3121	6.78	2.76
2009	plh0176	20360	5.79	2.61
2009	plh0180	20650	7.84	1.99
2009	plh0172	20759	6.83	2.27
2010	plh0182	26674	7.25	1.74
2010	plh0171	26678	6.80	2.24
2010	plh0175	26387	6.35	2.36
2010	plh0177	26623	7.79	1.98
2010	plh0178	26643	6.93	2.25
2010	plh0173	16095	7.01	2.24
2010	plh0174	21913	6.82	2.00
2010	plh0179	7397	7.05	2.68
2010	plh0176	26119	5.74	2.69
2010	plh0180	26545	8.00	1.95
2010	plh0172	26676	6.83	2.31
2011	plh0182	26131	7.18	1.74
2011	plh0171	26127	6.73	2.24
2011	plh0175	25821	6.45	2.34
2011	plh0177	26071	7.79	1.95
2011	plh0178	18427	7.17	2.16
2011	plh0173	16459	7.07	2.17
2011	plh0174	21705	6.79	1.96
2011	plh0179	7313	7.41	2.42
2011	plh0176	25225	5.91	2.62
2011	plh0180	25888	8.01	1.90
2011	plh0172	26134	6.81	2.30
2012	plh0182	26733	7.19	1.74
2012	plh0171	26750	6.73	2.21
2012	plh0175	26431	6.54	2.30
2012	plh0177	26695	7.81	1.92
2012	plh0178	19510	7.22	2.14
2012	plh0173	16624	7.13	2.07
2012	plh0174	22362	6.83	1.94
2012	plh0179	6770	7.49	2.28
2012	plh0176	25855	6.01	2.58
2012	plh0180	26416	8.02	1.88
2012	plh0172	26748	6.80	2.29
2013	plh0182	30884	7.31	1.75
2013	plh0171	30918	6.83	2.25
2013	plh0175	30613	6.59	2.30
2013	plh0177	30878	7.77	2.00
2013	plh0178	18896	7.26	2.13
2013	plh0173	19386	7.17	2.10
2013	plh0174	21663	6.84	1.96
2013	plh0179	6147	7.58	2.25
2013	plh0176	25018	6.14	2.56
2013	plh0180	25525	8.00	1.88
2013	plh0172	25959	6.79	2.27
2014	plh0182	27367	7.25	1.73
2014	plh0171	27439	6.75	2.21
2014	plh0175	27043	6.66	2.26
2014	plh0177	27362	7.81	1.95
2014	plh0178	27382	7.05	2.21
2014	plh0173	17322	7.14	2.10
2014	plh0174	22853	6.89	1.96
2014	plh0179	6417	7.42	2.26
2014	plh0176	26475	6.11	2.56
2014	plh0180	27136	8.00	1.86
2014	plh0172	27442	6.79	2.30
2015	plh0182	27120	7.38	1.73
2015	plh0171	25354	6.75	2.19
2015	plh0175	25008	6.79	2.20
2015	plh0177	25278	7.84	1.92
2015	plh0178	25295	7.08	2.18
2015	plh0173	15832	7.18	2.02
2015	plh0174	21234	6.89	1.92
2015	plh0179	5317	7.52	2.20
2015	plh0176	26212	6.24	2.53
2015	plh0180	25098	7.97	1.88
2015	plh0172	25357	6.81	2.23
2016	plh0182	28941	7.36	1.81
2016	plh0171	28928	6.91	2.27
2016	plh0175	24156	6.85	2.19
2016	plh0177	24417	7.85	1.92
2016	plh0178	24424	7.09	2.16
2016	plh0173	15362	7.22	1.98
2016	plh0174	20826	6.91	1.90
2016	plh0179	4883	7.48	2.15
2016	plh0176	24314	6.33	2.50
2016	plh0180	24230	8.00	1.84
2016	plh0172	24480	6.76	2.26
2017	plh0182	32420	7.34	1.77
2017	plh0171	32322	6.91	2.29
2017	plh0175	26422	6.89	2.15
2017	plh0177	26679	7.84	1.92
2017	plh0178	26702	7.11	2.12
2017	plh0173	17096	7.19	1.98
2017	plh0174	23368	6.90	1.91
2017	plh0179	4503	7.40	2.23
2017	plh0176	28895	6.36	2.46
2017	plh0180	26464	7.96	1.86
2017	plh0172	26761	6.69	2.24
2018	plh0182	30241	7.40	1.75
2018	plh0171	30201	6.85	2.29
2018	plh0175	25582	6.85	2.17
2018	plh0177	25791	7.82	1.92
2018	plh0178	25796	7.11	2.14
2018	plh0173	16616	7.16	1.99
2018	plh0174	22729	6.87	1.91
2018	plh0179	4259	7.26	2.30
2018	plh0176	29128	6.24	2.48
2018	plh0180	25586	7.95	1.87
2018	plh0172	25857	6.63	2.26
2019	plh0182	29823	7.54	1.71
2019	plh0171	29885	6.92	2.23
2019	plh0175	25735	7.18	2.14
2019	plh0177	25949	8.00	1.87
2019	plh0178	25959	7.22	2.13
2019	plh0173	16873	7.38	1.92
2019	plh0174	22859	7.00	1.91
2019	plh0179	4063	7.46	2.25
2019	plh0176	28998	6.64	2.40
2019	plh0180	25681	8.02	1.85
2019	plh0172	26028	6.76	2.22
2020	plh0182	30397	7.59	1.67
2020	plh0171	30423	7.04	2.22
2020	plh0175	25697	7.11	2.13
2020	plh0177	25969	7.92	1.92
2020	plh0178	25989	7.11	2.17
2020	plh0173	17006	7.26	1.99
2020	plh0174	22942	7.01	1.93
2020	plh0179	4480	7.02	2.58
2020	plh0176	28962	6.59	2.40
2020	plh0180	25614	7.90	1.95
2020	plh0172	26071	6.73	2.23

Items

How satisfied are you with (Wie zufrieden sind Sie):

1. Your social security (soziale Sicherung)?

2. School education (Ausbildung)?

3. Duration of leisure (Freizeitumfang)?

4. Living standard (Lebensstandard)?

5. Your area (Wohngegend)?

6. The supply of goods and services in your area (Angebot von Waren und Dienstleistungen)?

7. The environmental conditions in your area (Umweltzustand)?

8. Local access to public transport (mit dem Angebot an Waren und Dienstleistungen hier am Ort)?

9. Democracy as it exists in Germany (Demokratie in Deutschland)?

10. Social life (Freundes-/Bekanntenkreis)?

11. Your volunteer work in clubs, associations, or other social service organizations (ehrenamtliche Tätigkeit)?

12. The level of social justice in Germany (mit der Verwirklichung der sozialen Gerechtigkeit in Deutschland)?

Scale: 0 (Completely dissatisfied / Ganz und gar unzufrieden) to 10 (Completely satisfied / Ganz und gar zufrieden)

Items and Scale Statistics

year	variable	count	mean	sd
1987	plh0155	10281	6.75	2.15
1989	plh0164	8647	6.75	2.37
1990	plh0153	9482	6.72	2.41
1990	plh0162	4435	6.36	2.13
1990	plh0156	4427	6.70	3.00
1990	plh0157	4430	3.07	2.44
1990	plh0160	4436	3.02	2.61
1991	plh0162	13624	6.80	2.04
1991	plh0156	13606	7.32	2.35
1991	plh0157	13625	6.64	2.56
1991	plh0160	13635	5.63	2.51
1992	plh0155	13144	6.29	2.04
1992	plh0162	13309	6.66	1.98
1992	plh0157	13319	6.98	2.36
1992	plh0160	13321	5.64	2.29
1993	plh0164	11155	6.74	2.30
1993	plh0162	13118	6.86	1.98
1993	plh0160	13131	5.51	2.22
1994	plh0156	13350	7.39	2.19
1994	plh0157	13351	6.72	2.47
1994	plh0160	13354	6.29	2.16
1995	plh0153	13674	6.58	2.49
1995	plh0162	13694	6.88	1.97
1995	plh0160	13692	5.95	2.12
1996	plh0162	13477	7.01	1.90
1996	plh0157	13450	6.66	2.48
1996	plh0160	13477	6.15	2.04
1997	plh0155	12945	5.22	2.31
1997	plh0162	13227	6.65	1.90
1997	plh0160	13219	6.09	1.98
1998	plh0162	14604	6.88	1.88
1998	plh0157	14551	6.54	2.47
1998	plh0160	14582	6.34	1.97
1998	plh0159	14475	6.32	2.57
1999	plh0162	14027	7.00	1.87
1999	plh0156	14015	7.46	1.92
1999	plh0157	13972	6.55	2.48
1999	plh0160	14020	6.87	1.88
2000	plh0164	22649	7.02	2.13
2000	plh0162	24504	7.19	1.84
2000	plh0157	24388	6.44	2.70
2000	plh0160	24451	6.64	1.93
2001	plh0162	22252	7.19	1.79
2001	plh0157	22186	6.43	2.64
2001	plh0160	22221	6.75	1.87
2002	plh0155	23378	5.63	2.19
2002	plh0162	23817	7.12	1.81
2002	plh0160	23794	6.44	1.87
2003	plh0162	22561	7.07	1.84
2003	plh0157	22468	6.40	2.57
2003	plh0160	22522	6.73	1.81
2003	plh0159	22356	6.38	2.56
2004	plh0164	20447	7.01	2.09
2004	plh0162	21896	7.05	1.84
2004	plh0157	21829	6.31	2.61
2005	plh0162	21023	7.07	1.89
2005	plh0157	20962	6.41	2.63
2005	plh0152_v2	20871	5.07	2.42
2006	plh0162	22285	7.19	1.89
2006	plh0181	22233	7.53	1.87
2007	plh0155	20597	5.27	2.19
2007	plh0167	5071	6.75	2.55
2008	plh0164	18154	7.28	2.03
2009	plh0167	4721	6.89	2.45
2010	plh0152_v2	26443	5.41	2.33
2011	plh0181	26028	7.75	1.87
2012	plh0155	19249	6.27	2.10
2012	plh0181	7161	8.05	1.75
2013	plh0162	24032	7.52	1.92
2013	plh0181	6822	8.05	1.74
2014	plh0164	25414	7.53	2.08
2015	plh0355	24881	5.05	2.23
2016	plh0152_v2	24066	5.80	2.42
2016	plh0181	24375	7.68	1.84
2017	plh0155	26192	6.80	1.99
2017	plh0156	26676	7.97	1.81
2018	plh0162	25788	7.64	1.82
2019	plh0164	24325	7.76	1.97
2020	plh0152_v2	25631	6.34	2.35