A Study on the Determinants of Subjective Well-Being in Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

The goal of this paper seeks to answer two questions: (1) Which one of the following factors influences subjective life satisfaction the most in Seoul: Socio-demographic, socio-economic, or social capital factors? (2) Do the independent variables influence vary depending on subjective life satisfaction and happiness? The present study included socio-demographic, economic factors and social capital factors as the crucial determinants of subjective well-being and established three hypotheses. To examine these research questions and hypotheses, a survey was conducted from June, 2009 to September 2009. Additionally, this study geographically focused on Seoul because major differences in socio-demographic and socio-economic conditions between Seoul and other regions need separate analysis, as there are many different studies that show that the relationships between social capital and well-being vary depending on the researched region, and social capital measurement. Several Statistical analyses were conducted to examine the research questions. First, descriptive statistics of variables are confirmed. Second, the reliability and validity test was conducted. Third, correlation analysis was conducted. Finally, multiple regression analysis was conducted. The analysis of the present study was performed using statistical software packages, including Excel 2007, SPSS 16, and STATA 10. Although subjective life satisfaction and subjective happiness are correlated, the results of multiple regression analysis show that subjective life satisfaction and subjective happiness are partly influenced by different variables and the influence of the same independent variables on them varied. Taken all together, the present study provides evidence that social capital is the one of the most influential variables on subjective well-being. Regardless of the current study’s limitations, the present study provides a base on which future studies regarding subjective well-being should be followed in Korea.