Income Gaps Increases Unhappiness

Income Gaps Increases Unhappiness

http://www.livescience.com/14638-income-inequality-costing-americans-happiness.html

According to research to be published soon in the journal Psychological Science,

Americans are happier in times when the gap between the rich and poor is smaller.

The results apply to those in low- to middle-income brackets, roughly 60 percent

of Americans. The income gap did not affect the happiness scores of wealthier Americans.

The income inequality is measured using an index called the Gini coefficient, the larger the number, the greater the gap between rich and poor.

The researchers used the U.S. General Social Survey, which questioned 48,000 random Americans between 1972 through 2008. The respondents answered questions on how happy they were, how much they trusted others, and how fair they thought other people were. During times with a lower Gini coefficient, low- to middle-class people were happier. The researchers reasoned that when the income gap grew, poorer Americans became more distrustful and thought they weren’t treated as fairly. This would explain why countries with lower income gaps have become happier while their wealth grew, while it has not with Americans. Happiness ratings haven’t risen along with national wealth in the last 50 years.

If all Americans made enough money to afford a middle class life style and no one was rich or poor then Americans would be happier. This could affect all Americans depending on what is done about it.