Happiness: Using subjective well-being metrics to gauge development

Subjective well-being indicators, such as positive and negative emotions, life evaluations, and assessments of having purpose and meaning and life, are increasingly used alongside income, employment, and consumption measures to provide a more comprehensive view of human progress. These indicators are usually based on self-reported evaluations collected via nationally representative surveys conducted with thousands of individuals across countries and over time and provide meaningful information about perceived quality of life. Subjective well-being measures have several advantages but also challenges, which development scholars and practitioners need to carefully consider before introducing such metrics in the policy arena. This chapter provides an overview of the subjective well-being approach and offers insights into whether and how subjective well-being measures can inform development theory and practice