The Origins of Happiness

Chapter 5

However, we find more comprehensive evidence on fam-

ily and children from the household panel data, which cover

people of all ages. The results are shown in Table 5.2. The cross-

sectional effect of partnering here averages around 0.5 points

and the panel estimate around 0.2. Separation emerges as very

negative— in cross- section about 0.6 points worse than being

partnered, and in panel analysis about half that. The effect of

losing your partner through death is about 0.4 points.

Adaptation

But do you adapt to the end of a relationship— or indeed

to the beginning of one? Figures 5.2– 5.4 present our key

Figure 5.2. Adaptation to partnership (household panel data)

1.0

0.5

0.0

–0.5

–4 –2 0

Men Britain

Women

24 +

Eec

t o

n life

-satisfa

ct

ion (

0–

10

)

GermanyAustralia

1.0

0.5

0.0

–0.5

–4 –2 02 4+ –4 –2 02 4+

Years before and after entry into long-term partnership