Wellbeing in Two Nova Scotia Communities

CPHAJune 2008Mike PennockMartha PennockRonald ColmanGPI Atlantic

GPI Community Surveys 2002/2003 Glace Bay (1,708) Kings County (1,898) Wellbeing in two contrasting

communities in same political jurisdiction

Wide range of variables

Contrasting Communities

Glace Bay Older industrial

area Mining and

primary industries History of

economic instability

Kings County Diversified

economy Agriculture Manufacturing Government Economic Stability

Economic DeterminantsGlace-Bay Kings

Unemployment 26.4 12.7

Part-time 16.6 15.4

Discouraged 40.9 16.3

Long-term 62.3 52.5

Multiple Jobs 5.1 11.0

% Households <$20,000

28 14

Life-Satisfaction

GB Kings Chi-Sqaure

Very Satisfied

40.3 39.4 2.24df=2P<.32Somewhat

Satisfied50.3 53.41

Dissatisfied 9.3 8.2

Potential for Improved Satisfaction

% who would be more satisfied if:

Glace Bay Kings p

More time with family and friends

29.1 23.2 P<.001

Less stress 39.0 31.2 P<.001

Make a difference to community

11.7 8.7 P<.001

More money 24.7 14.5 P<.001

More Possessions 8.7 3.3 P<.001

Financially secure 38.8 25.5 P<.001

Wellbeing Despite pronounced economic

differences Glace Bay and Kings respondents equally satisfied with life

But Glace Bay felt there was more room for improvement

Importance of Core Values

% rating 8+ on 10 pt. scale Self Others p

Family 94.9 55.9 P<.000

Responsibility 93.3 50.8 P<.000

Freedom 88.4 80.6 P<.000

Friendship 87.3 54.2 P<.000

Financial Security 76.3 76.9 NS

Generosity 75.8 36.6 P<.000

Pleasure 69.6 76.1 P<.000

Spiritual 59.5 29.4 P<.000

Career Success 62.8 92.4 P<.000

Material Wealth 27.4 67.8 P<.000

Importance of Own Values% rating 8+ on 10 pt. scale GB Kings p

Family 95.2 94.4 NS

Responsibility 93.2 93.2 NS

Freedom 87.5 89.1 NS

Friendship 88.4 86.4 NS

Financial Security 80.6 72.4 P<.000

Generosity 78.4 73.4 P<.000

Pleasure 70.8 68.6 NS

Spiritual 67.2 52.5 P<.000

Career Success 68 58.3 P<.000

Material Wealth 32.4 22.8 P<.000

Factor Analysis of Values Scales Social factor (family life, friendship,

generosity, spiritual) Materialistic factor (material wealth,

financial security, career, pleasure) Factor scores

Values and Life Satisfaction

% Describing Self as Very Satisfied With Life

Quartile Value Score

Low Score on Value Factor

2 3 High Score on Value Factor

Social Values

30.1 36.2 45.4 46.5 P<.000

Material Values

38.6 37.4 38.7 43.4 ns

Distribution of Material value Scores

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

% respondents

Low 2 3 High

GBKings

Wellbeing and Values Majority in both communities

reported that they were motivated by pro-social values but living in a materialistic society

Pro-social values associated with higher levels of life-satisfaction

Glace Bay slightly more materialistic

Self-Reported Stress

05

101520253035404550

Very Somewhat Not very Not At All

GBKings

Sources of Stress

Kings Too many

demands Too many hours Insufficient

autonomy Interpersonal

conflict

Glace Bay Too few hours Risk Fear of layoffs

Activity and Stress

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Employed Unemployed Students Homemakers Retired

GBKings

Stress and Employment More two-income families in Kings

(contributes to higher incomes) Two-income families much more highly

stressed than one income families Two income families on Kings more highly

stressed than in Glace Bay No differences between one-income

families

Stress and household income

010203040506070

-20

20-

34,999

35-

49,999

50-

69,999

70,000+

GBKings

The Downside of Success

Greater prosperity and financial security of Kings comes at a cost with respect to higher levels of stress.

Wellbeing is more inequitable in Glace Bay

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Glace Bay Kings

Glace Bay 25.5 43 35.4 50.2 57.8

Kings 33.2 36.5 34.4 39.3 49.3

-20,00020-

34,99935-

49,99950-

69,99970,000

% Very Satisfed

Wellbeing and Economy No significant difference in life-

satisfaction between GB and Kings, despite differences in income and economic security

But GB more likely to believe that there life-satisfaction could be improved by improved material circumstances

Therefore- more materialistic values

Great Expectations

Already have rates of life-satisfaction that are similar to Kings

Yet they expect a greater increase from improved determinants

Does GB expect more from income gains than can be delivered?

Example of “focusing illusion”

“When people consider the impact of any single factor on their wellbeing- not only income- they are prone to exaggerate its importance. We refer to this tendency as the focusing illusion… Despite the weak relation between income and global life satisfaction or experienced happiness, many people are highly motivated to increase their income.”

Daniel Kahneman- Economist, Princeton University

Daniel Gilbert: Stumbling on Happiness (2006)

“Economies thrive when individuals strive, but because individuals will only strive for their own happiness, it is essential that they mistakenly believe that producing and consuming are routes to personal wellbeing”

Higher Inequities in Glace Bay Is the greater emphasis on material

values in Glace Bay linked to the greater reported inequities- High income GB are more satisfied and

low income are less satisfied than their counterparts in Kings

Stresses reflect local realities

KingsHigher stress• Too much work• Two-income families

(more of them and more highly stressed than GB)

• 25% would trade increases for less time

• Unemployment more stressful

Glace Bay• Too little work• Job insecurity• 14% would trade

increases for less time• Both employment and

unemployment are less stressful

Catch 22 Higher incomes in Kings are associated

with higher stress levels but their life-satisfaction is no higher than the lower income, less stressed Glace Bay residents

Less likely to expect improvements in life-satisfaction due to material improvements than Glace bay residents

“Been there, done that”

Value Alienation?

Large majority of respondents in both communities believe they are socially motivated individuals living in a materialistic society.

Wellbeing and Values Positive social values intrinsically

related to wellbeing while materialistic values are not

Consistent with growing research literature demonstrating that positive social action is associated with higher levels of wellbeing