Determinants of Life Satisfaction in Turkey: Cross Section Analysis for Provinces

Abstract

In recent years, studies on the economics of happiness have gained importance. The economics of happiness, an area where psychology, sociology and economics intersect, is also closely followed in Turkey. Happiness or life satisfaction can be affected by many factors such as physical, socio-cultural, environmental factors as well as economic factors. In this study, the factors affecting life satisfaction were tried to be found by using the 2015 TURKSTAT Life Index values. In addition to variables such as housing, working life, income, health, education, environment, security and social life, a policy variable has also been used in the study. As a result of the cross section analysis we find that the satisfaction of life is positively affected by housing, security, social life; there is no relationship between income and life satisfaction, and the policy variable affects life satisfaction to a certain extent

Keywords

• Life Satisfaction, Economics of Happiness, Cross-section Analysis, Public Policy, Turkey

Türkiye’de Yaşam Memnuniyetinin Belirleyicileri: İller Üzerine Bir Yatay Kesit Analizi

Abstract

Son yıllarda mutluluk ekonomisi üzerine çalışmalar önem kazanmıştır. Psikoloji, sosyoloji ve iktisat biliminin kesiştiği bir alan olan mutluluk ekonomisi Türkiye’de de ilgiyle takip edilmektedir. Mutluluk veya yaşam memnuniyeti, ekonomik etkenler kadar fiziki, sosyo-kültürel, çevre gibi birçok faktörden etkilenebilmektedir. Bu çalışmada 2015 yılı için Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu TÜİK’den alınan İllerde Yaşam Endeksi değerleri kullanılarak yaşam memnuniyetini etkileyen faktörler bulunmaya çalışılmıştır. Çalışmada, konut, çalışma hayatı, gelir ve servet, sağlık, eğitim, çevre, güvenlik, sosyal yaşam gibi değişkenlerin yanında ayrıca politik ekonomi literatüründen ilham alınarak bir politika değişkeni kullanılmıştır. Yapılan yatay kesit analizleri sonucunda, konut, güvenlik ve sosyal yaşamın yaşam memnuniyetini olumlu etkilediği; gelir ile yaşam memnuniyeti arasında bir ilişkinin olmadığı, politika değişkeninin ise yaşam memnuniyetini belli ölçüde etkilediği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.

Keywords

• Yaşam Memnuniyeti, Mutluluk Ekonomisi, Yatay kesit Analizi, Kamu Politikaları, Türkiye

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