The capability approach and subjective wellbeing

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The capability approach and subjective well-being

• Tania Burchardt
• London School of Economics, UK

HDCA Summer School, Groningen, 26 - 29 August 2006
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Outline

• What is subjective well-being (SWB)?
• Why is it relevant for the capability approach?
• Two approaches to measuring SWB
• Student exercise
• Concluding remarks
• Questions and discussion

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What is subjective well-being (SWB)?
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Why is SWB relevant for the CA?

• SWB (happiness) is one functioning among many
• SWB (satisfaction) is a proxy for achievement of
  agency goals
• SWB (flourishing) is the outcome of having a wide
  capability set
• SWB assessment is complementary to CA
• CA demonstrates that SWB is not a valid measure
  of well-being

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Measuring SWB (1) Experience sampling

• respondents given buzzers and asked to record
  emotions on 12 dimensions when buzzer sounds
• calculate net positive affect from results
• eg Kahneman et al (2004) study of US women
• ADVANTAGES
• scientific
• good measure for mood
• DISADVANTAGES
• expensive
• does not allow for reflective evaluation

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Measuring SWB (2) Life satisfaction

• All things considered, how satisfied are you
  with your life as a whole these days?
• domains income, family, health, leisure, etc
• eg Veenhoven (1993) study of happiness in 56
  countries
• ADVANTAGES
• flexible and quick
• good measure for overall satisfaction or
  happiness
• DISADVANTAGES
• highly sensitive to context
• adaptation and conditioning

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Student exercise

• Group A
• Life satisfaction
• Group B
• Experience sampling

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Concluding remarks

• For SWB as a functioning, experience sampling is
  most relevant
• For SWB as proxy for agency goal achievement, or
  overall flourishing, life satisfaction is most
  relevant BUT problematic
• Conditioning / adaptation are significant
  theoretical and empirical problems
• Measurement of SWB is ultimately motivated by
  utilitarianism hence must be treated with
  caution in CA

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Questions and discussion