Lingnan University study finds positive linkage between education and life satisfaction

The results show there was a positive association between educational attainment and life satisfaction at the individual level. However, once labour market outcomes and especially income levels are accounted for, this positive relationship disappears. Also, the favourable link between education and life satisfaction is undermined by societal skills diffusion rather than educational expansion, so that the advantage of a tertiary degree tends to be smaller in societies where the proportion of highly skilled human resources is relatively large. In addition, the study indicates that skills diffusion promotes life satisfaction at the societal level, and skilled societies are more likely than less skilled ones to show greater levels of subjective well-being (SWB) (Figure 2).

The results show there was a positive association between educational attainment and life satisfaction at the individual level. However, once labour market outcomes and especially income levels are accounted for, this positive relationship disappears. Also, the favourable link between education and life satisfaction is undermined by societal skills diffusion rather than educational expansion, so that the advantage of a tertiary degree tends to be smaller in societies where the proportion of highly skilled human resources is relatively large. In addition, the study indicates that skills diffusion promotes life satisfaction at the societal level, and skilled societies are more likely than less skilled ones to show greater levels of subjective well-being (SWB) (Figure 2).

"In highly skilled societies, educated individuals face the diminishing economic value of their credentials, and consequently they may find it more difficult to maintain relatively better levels of life satisfaction compared to their less-educated counterparts," Prof Satoshi Araki, Assistant Professor of Department of Sociology and Social Policy of Lingnan University in Hong Kongexplained, adding that although individual educational qualifications are not necessarily the key to SWB, when looking at labour market outcomes, the accumulation of skilled human resources in a given society collectively enhances general satisfaction, possibly through the meritocratic process of rewards allocation.

"Skills diffusion may enable societies to allocate rewards on the basis of merit rather than socio-economic background or nominal educational credentials, making people feel more satisfied with, or at least encouraging them to accept the current status," Prof Araki said.

These findings were published in the Journal of Happiness Studies. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-021-00416-y)

Figure 1. Target countries and the number of respondents

 

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