TY - JOUR
T1 - Does access to information technology make people happier? Insights from well-being surveys from around the world
AU - Graham, Carol
AU - Nikolova, Milena
PY - 2013/6/1
Y1 - 2013/6/1
N2 - We explore the relationship between access to cell phones, TV, and the internet and subjective well-being worldwide, using pooled cross-sectional data from the Gallup World Poll for 2009-2011. We find that technology access is positive for well-being in general, but with diminishing marginal returns for those who already have much access. Moreover, we find signs of increased stress and anger among cohorts for whom access to the technologies is new. We also explore whether increased financial inclusion - through cell phones and mobile banking - has additional effects on well-being in Sub-Saharan Africa. We show that well-being levels are higher in the countries with higher levels of access to mobile banking, but so are stress and anger. Our findings are in line with earlier research, which shows that while development raises aggregate levels of well-being in the long run, high levels of frustration often accompany the process.
AB - We explore the relationship between access to cell phones, TV, and the internet and subjective well-being worldwide, using pooled cross-sectional data from the Gallup World Poll for 2009-2011. We find that technology access is positive for well-being in general, but with diminishing marginal returns for those who already have much access. Moreover, we find signs of increased stress and anger among cohorts for whom access to the technologies is new. We also explore whether increased financial inclusion - through cell phones and mobile banking - has additional effects on well-being in Sub-Saharan Africa. We show that well-being levels are higher in the countries with higher levels of access to mobile banking, but so are stress and anger. Our findings are in line with earlier research, which shows that while development raises aggregate levels of well-being in the long run, high levels of frustration often accompany the process.
KW - Cell phones
KW - Financial inclusion
KW - Internet
KW - Subjective well-being
KW - Technology access
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84875794988&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.025
DO - 10.1016/j.socec.2013.02.025
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84875794988
VL - 44
SP - 126
EP - 139
JO - Journal of Socio-Economics
JF - Journal of Socio-Economics
SN - 1879-1239
ER -