Consumption And Happiness:Correlation Test And Policy Implications

With the sustained and stable development of our country's economy,residents' consumption level continues to increase,consumption quality has been escalating,and consumption patterns have been changed,consumption has lightened every consumer's life,obtaining happiness is increasingly becoming a major pursuit for consumers.Combing relevant literature finds that there are few studies about the relationship between consumption and happiness in the study of happiness,this article argues that the variable directly related to utility or satisfaction should be consumption rather than income.In this context,firstly,this article particularly reviews the research of the relationship between consumption and happiness at home and abroad,from the perspectives of data availability and individual consumers and others,the following three consumption categories are selected as research emphasis:material consumption,cultural consumption,and pro-social consumption;secondly,the theoretical analysis and research hypotheses of the consumption and happiness are explained,using CGSS2013 and CGSS2015 survey data,this paper constructs an econometric model of consumption sub-variables and happiness from the three subdivided research objects of the full sample,samples of the east,central and west,and samples of urban and rural areas to empirically examine the correlation between consumption categories and happiness,this paper also studies changes about the influence level of various consumption categories on happiness in the east,central and west,and in urban and rural areas in China from 2013 to 2015.The results show that the correlations between different consumption categories and happiness are different;in general,material consumption is negatively correlated with happiness,and there is a positive correlation between cultural consumption,pro-social consumption and happiness,these relationships are all set up in full sample data,in the east,central and west data,and in urban and rural data;material consumption,cultural consumption,and pro-social consumption each have a slight difference in the size and direction of happiness in regions and places of residence;from 2013 to 2015,the degree of the impact of material consumption on happiness in China is declining,the influence of cultural consumption on the subjective well-being of the residents is increasing,and the extent of the impact of pro-social consumption on happiness is also increasing,these relationships are established in all full sample,but there is a slight difference about changes in the degree of influence in the east,central and west samples,and in urban and rural samples.Finally,this article proposes corresponding policy recommendations based on the research conclusions:(1)Narrow the residents' income gap and consumption gap between the east,central and west,between urban and rural areas;(2)Urge consumption and deepen consumption upgrade;(3)Vigorously develop spiritual and cultural consumption;(4)Play an active role in pro-social consumption.