How perceptions of labor market opportunities predict happiness: evidence from natural field experiments

The results reveal that in Barcelona only positive perceptions have an effect and increase happiness, whereas in Pennsylvania only negative perceptions impact happiness and do so detrimentally. This discrepancy is attributed to subtle, experimentally induced ships in the framing of truthful macroeconomic information. The discussion proposes a cultural bias mechanism to account for these differences. Heterogeneous effects of the treatments in terms of social background and subjective health are also discussed. The findings hold significant implications for policymaking and organizational strategies, underscoring the importance of understanding how perceived macro-labor market opportunities shape happiness.