Why are some people consistently more satisfied with their lives than others—and what factors are responsible for this? An analysis using data from the National Education Panel Study (NEPS) reveals which factors actually explain consistently high or low life satisfaction. Health emerges as by far the strongest factor, followed by social status and relationship status. Other characteristics, such as gender or age, are significantly less influential.
The findings in NEPS Spotlight No. 20 on factors influencing life satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) are taken from the following publication:
Bittmann, F. (2024). Why do low spirits last? Investigating correlates of cumulative unhappiness using German panel data. Current Psychology. 43. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05559-0.
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What are the NEPS spotlights?
This and other NEPS spotlights present selected findings from the National Education Panel Study—the largest long-term education study in Germany—in a concise and accessible format. They shed light on topics such as the development of competencies over the life course, as well as aspects of personality, educational participation, integration, and civic engagement. Each Spotlight contains a key message, a brief explanation, and interactive graphics that visualize the respective findings. Sources and further information are also linked. The NEPS Spotlights are provided by the Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi) and are coordinated with the authors of the original publications. The collection is continuously expanded.
What is the National Education Panel?
The National Education Panel (NEPS) is the largest long-term education study in Germany. It examines educational processes, their conditions, outcomes, and consequences from early childhood through late adulthood. More than 70,000 participants, as well as approximately 50,000 people from their social circles, are surveyed on a recurring basis. The data collected is made available to the scientific community. More than 4,000 researchers worldwide are already working with NEPS data, and to date, more than 1,900 scientific publications have been produced.