Sunday, December 22

The State of Global Happiness During Coronavirus Pandemic

Six in 10 grownups throughout 27 nations (63%) more than happy, according to the newest Ipsos survey on international joy. Regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of happiness at an aggregate level is almost the same from last year. However, year-over-year, the incidence of happiness shows considerable shifts in many nations: it has declined by eight points or more in Peru, Chile, Mexico, India, the United States, Australia, Canada, and Spain, while it has increased by more than 8 percentage points in China, Russia, Malaysia, and Argentina.

The happiest nations surveyed, i.e., those where more than three out of four grownups report being very or rather happy are China, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Canada, France, Australia, Great Britain, and Sweden. Those where less than one in two grownups say they enjoy are Peru, Chile, Spain, Argentina, Hungary, and Mexico.

Amongst 29 possible sources of happiness measured, individuals throughout the world are probably to obtain “the best happiness” from:

  • My health/physical wellness (cited by 55% worldwide)
  • My relationship with my partner/spouse (49%)
  • My children (49%)
  • Feeling my life has meaning (48%)
  • My living conditions (45%)

In comparison to the pre-pandemic survey carried out in 2015, the sources of happiness that have most gained in value worldwide relate to relationships, health, and security. On the other hand, time and money have delivered some ground as drivers of joy.

Changes in joy levels

Globally, joy is as common this year as it was last year, dipping by simply one portion point from 64% to 63%. Nevertheless, it has increased by five points or more in 6 countries, specifically China, Russia, Malaysia, and Argentina, while it has decreased by 5 points or more in 12 nations, most of all Peru, Chile, Mexico, and India.

The joy leader in 2020 is China, where 93% say they more than happy (up 11 points from last year and moving from 3rd location), followed by the Netherlands (freshly added this year) with 87%, and Saudi Arabia with 80% (up two points).

Canada and Australia, last year’s leaders in happiness, register a noteworthy drop this year: Canada with 78% (down 8 points) drops to 4th place in a tie with France (down two points) and Australia with 77% (down 9 points) is up to the sixth location.

The survey shows decreasing levels of joy in Peru (down 26 points from in 2015 to 32%), Chile (down 15 indicates 35%), and Mexico (down 13 points to 46%). Joy is now less common in Peru, Chile, and Spain (38% down 8 points) than it is in Argentina (43%, up by nine points), which ranked last in 2019.

Throughout all 27 nations, 11% of those surveyed state they are extremely pleased, and 52% say they are rather delighted, while 31% say they are not extremely delighted and 6% state they are not pleased with all. In the U.S., 12% report being pleased, 58% rather delighted, 25% not very happy, and 6% not happy at all.

Countries with the highest incidence of adults who consider themselves really delighted are Saudi Arabia (30%), India (22%), and the Netherlands (20%). Those with the greatest share of grownups stating they are not delighted at all are Spain (13%), Chile, and Argentina (both 12%), and Hungary (11%).

Over the course of the previous years, the occurrence of joy has decreased sharply. Between 2011 and 2020, the portion of those saying they enjoy has fallen by 14 points globally. It is down by 5 points or more in 17 out of 23 countries surveyed both years. Mexico, Turkey, South Africa, Argentina, Spain, and India show drops of more than 20 points. The only nation revealing a substantial increase because 2011 is China (+15 points).

Sources of happiness in the COVID period

Amongst 29 possible sources of joy, individuals throughout the world are more than likely to say they obtain “the biggest joy” from:

  • My health/physical well-being (cited by 55%)
  • My relationship with my partner/spouse (49%)
  • My children (49%)
  • Feeling my life has meaning (48%)
  • My living conditions (45%)
  • My security and security (45%)
  • Feeling in control of my life (43%)
  • Having a meaningful job/employment (43%)
  • Fulfillment with the instructions their life is going (40%)
  • Having more cash (40%)

Compared to in 2015, the sources of happiness that have most gained in significance internationally relate to relationships, health, and safety.

Year-over-year, numerous of the products measured reveals a significant boost in the portion of people globally who obtain at least some happiness from them. Those with the largest upticks are:

  • Being forgiven for something I did (+5 points)
  • Forgiving somebody for something they did (+4)
  • My security and security (+4)
  • My health/physical well-being (+4)
  • Finding someone to be with (+4)

None of the items show a dive of more than two points in the percentage of individuals who obtain the biggest joy from them. However, 2 items show a drop of 3 points:

  • My individual financial situation
  • The quantity of totally free time I have

In addition, one item reveals a drop of three points as a source of either some or the best joy:

  • New political management in my nation

Universal vs. culture-specific motorists of happiness

The survey shows that the top sources of happiness tend to be universal. In 14 of the 27 countries surveyed, each one of the leading 5 sources of joy, i.e., those that individuals most regularly say provides the “biggest joy,” is among the leading 10 sources at the international level. These countries include Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, India, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.

However, in each of the other nations, a minimum of one of the top 5 chauffeurs of joy is not found in the international leading 10. Sources of joy that are especially important in simply one or a handful of countries are:

  • My financial situation (France, Hungary, Russia, South Korea)
  • My pals (Australia, Belgium, Great Britain)
  • My hobbies/interests (Japan)
  • Finding somebody to be with (Russia, Germany, and Japan)
  • The wellbeing of my country (Argentina)
  • The quantity of spare time I have (Japan)
  • Being acknowledged as an effective person (Turkey)
  • The state of the economy (South Korea)
  • My spiritual or religious wellness (Malaysia and Saudi Arabia)