A New Research Agenda for Improvements in Quality of Life (eBook)

Filomena Maggino (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2015 | 2015
X, 230 Seiten
Springer International Publishing (Verlag)
978-3-319-15904-1 (ISBN)

Infos

This book presents a new research agenda for improvements in Quality of Life research. It includes topics such as:

-Studying QoL in particular subpopulations and selected subgroups

-Disentangling the difficult task of identifying determinants of QoL

-Perfectionating the measurement of conceptual dimensions

-Defining new indicators able to measure and monitor particular social conditions and shows that these are not separated fields of studies but intersect each other and produce different outcomes which can be with difficulty classifiable, consistent with the idea of the complexity of our reality.

The volume presents micro perspectives by taking into account the macro situation through both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Inhalt

A New Research Agenda for Improvements in Quality of Life 6
Contents 10
Chapter 1: Well-Being Indicators on Landscape and Cultural Heritage: The Experience of the BES Project 12
The BES Project 12
Landscape and Cultural Heritage as Well-Being Factors 15
Indicators Proposed for the Subjective Aspects (Sensible Landscape) 18
Indicators Proposed for the Objective Aspects (Cultural Heritage, Including the Geographic Landscape) 19
A Critical Commentary on the Indicators Proposed and Some Concluding Remarks 23
References 25
Chapter 2: Determinants of Student Satisfaction with Campus Residence Life at a South African University 27
Introduction 27
The Determinants of Quality of Life for University Students: A Literature Review 28
Student Diversity and QoL 30
Health, Drug Use and Alcohol 31
Campus Climate and University Residence Life in South Africa 32
The Rhodes University Context and Residence System 33
The Data 34
Econometric Methods 34
Results 36
Residence Milieu and Characteristics 40
Discrimination 41
Drugs and Alcohol 42
Campus and Residence Safety 42
Individual Characteristics 43
Conclusion 43
References 44
Chapter 3: Life on Social Housing Estates: Studying Housing Quality with an Ethnographic Approach 46
The Dimensions of Housing Quality 46
The Context and the Method of the Study 49
Structures and People 52
Relations in Spaces 55
The Symbolic Elements of Space 56
`Incivilities´ as Signals of the Relationship with the Institutions 58
Sense of Community and Conflicts 61
Conclusions 64
References 66
Chapter 4: Making the Ordinary Extraordinary: A Fresh Look at Satisfaction in Communities 69
What Is It About Communities? Important Pieces of the Puzzle 69
Revisiting Satisfaction as Two-Factors 70
The Factors That Contribute to Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction in Communities 73
Connecting Community Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction with Community Outcomes 75
Association Satisfaction: An Overlooked Community Factor 77
Event Satisfaction: What We Know So Far 80
Extraordinary Experiences 81
Herzberg and Event Satisfaction 82
Where Are We Now? The Search for the Community Enrichment Model 83
The Community Enrichment Model 84
Implications for the Community 87
Conclusion 89
References 89
Chapter 5: Explaining the Ethnic Minority Disadvantage in Subjective Well-Being: A Multilevel Analysis of European Countries 95
Introduction 95
Economic Position, Discrimination and Need-Gratification 97
Economic Position 97
Perceived Discrimination 98
Do Economic Position and Discrimination Equally Affect Majority Members? 99
Data and Methods 100
Dependent Variables 101
Independent Variables 101
Methods 104
Results 104
Multilevel Analysis of Life Satisfaction 105
Multilevel Analysis of Happiness 105
Interaction Effects 108
Discussion 112
Appendix 114
References 115
Chapter 6: Self-Evaluation Affects Subjective Well-Being: The Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Personality in Taiwan 117
Introduction 117
Theoretical Framework and Hypotheses 119
Data Source and Measures 122
Dependent Variables 123
Independent Variables 123
Statistic Model 125
Research Findings 126
Descriptive Statistics 126
Ordered Probit Analysis of Life Satisfaction with Sample Selection 128
Ordered Probit Analysis of Happiness with Sample Selection 136
Discussion 137
Conclusions and Future Research Direction 138
References 140
Chapter 7: The Impact of Government Size on Chinese Elders´ Life Satisfaction: 1998-2008 143
Introduction 143
Happiness Research in China 144
Data 145
Empirical Strategy 152
Results 153
Urban Versus Rural Residents 157
East Versus West 157
Rich Versus Poor 164
Conclusions 164
References 168
Chapter 8: Leisure Activities and Quality of Life Among Older Adults in Spain 170
Introduction 170
Leisure and Quality of Life of the Elderly: Concepts, Measurement and Research 172
Material and Methods 173
Results 180
Sample Characteristics 180
Classification of Older Adults According to the Type of Leisure Activity They Perform 183
Characteristics of the Population According to Their Activity Profile 184
Sociodemographic and Residential Characteristics 184
Health Conditions and Functional Capacity 184
Family and Social Networks 185
Economic Resources 185
Quality of Life and Personal Well-Being 185
Factors Explaining the Behaviour or Activity Profile of Older Adults in Spain 186
Discussion and Conclusions 188
References 191
Chapter 9: Subjective Well-Being After the Onset of the Need for Personal Assistance and Care 197
Introduction 197
Database 198
Distribution of the Need for Personal Assistance and Care Over the Life Course 199
Health Limitations of People in Need of Personal Assistance and Care 201
Satisfaction Levels at Different Degrees of Need for Personal Assistance and Care 202
Changes in Life Satisfaction After the Onset of the Need for Personal Assistance and Care 204
Conclusions 207
References 209
Chapter 10: Towards Satellite Accounts on Education and Human Capital in OECD Countries 211
Introduction 211
Measuring Human Capital: First Phase 214
Why Satellite Accounts and Review of Satellite Accounts Across Countries 216
Building Up a Framework for Satellite Accounts for Education and Human Capital 217
Box 10.1: The Treatment of Education, Training and Human Capital in SNA 2008 217
Definitions and Concepts 219
Basic Satellite Accounts 220
More Complex Satellite Accounts 221
More Advanced Satellite Accounts 223
Measurement Questions 223
Conclusion and Future Work 224
Annex 1: Comparisons from the Analysis of National Experiences on Satellite Accounts in Education and Human Capital and Exampl... 226
References 234

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.4.2015
• Reihe/Serie: Social Indicators Research Series
• Zusatzinfo: X, 230 p. 13 illus.
• Verlagsort: Cham
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie ► Empirische Sozialforschung
• Schlagworte: Determinants of student satisfaction at campuses • Dimensions of quality of living • Effects of socioeconomic status and personality on QoL • Impact of public expenditures on elderly life satisfaction • Leisure activities in quality of later life • Objective living conditions and subject assessments • Well-being indicators on landscape and cultural heritage
• ISBN-10: 3-319-15904-6 / 3319159046
• ISBN-13: 978-3-319-15904-1 / 9783319159041