Wellbeing in Two Nova
Scotia Communities
CPHA
June 2008
Mike Pennock
Martha Pennock
Ronald Colman
GPI Atlantic
GPI Community Surveys
2002/2003
 Glace Bay (1,708)
 Kings County (1,898)
 Wellbeing in two contrasting
communities in same political
jurisdiction
 Wide range of variables

Contrasting Communities
Glace Bay
 Older industrial
area
 Mining and
primary industries
 History of
economic
instability
Kings County
 Diversified
economy
 Agriculture
 Manufacturing
 Government
 Economic Stability
Economic Determinants
Glace-Bay
Kings
Unemployment
26.4
12.7
Part-time
16.6
15.4
Discouraged
40.9
16.3
Long-term
62.3
52.5
Multiple Jobs
5.1
11.0
% Households
<$20,000
28
14
Life-Satisfaction
GB
Kings
ChiSqaure
Very
Satisfied
40.3
39.4
Somewhat
Satisfied
50.3
53.41
2.24
df=2
P<.32
Dissatisfied 9.3
8.2
Potential for Improved
Satisfaction
% who would be more satisfied
if:
Glace Bay
Kings
p
More time with family and
friends
29.1
23.2
P<.001
Less stress
39.0
31.2
P<.001
Make a difference to
community
11.7
8.7
P<.001
More money
24.7
14.5
P<.001
More Possessions
8.7
3.3
P<.001
Financially secure
38.8
25.5
P<.001
Wellbeing
Despite pronounced economic
differences Glace Bay and Kings
respondents equally satisfied with
life
 But Glace Bay felt there was more
room for improvement

Importance of Core Values
% rating 8+ on 10 pt. scale
Self
Others
p
Family
94.9
55.9
P<.000
Responsibility
93.3
50.8
P<.000
Freedom
88.4
80.6
P<.000
Friendship
87.3
54.2
P<.000
Financial Security
76.3
76.9
NS
Generosity
75.8
36.6
P<.000
Pleasure
69.6
76.1
P<.000
Spiritual
59.5
29.4
P<.000
Career Success
62.8
92.4
P<.000
Material Wealth
27.4
67.8
P<.000
Importance of Own Values
% rating 8+ on 10 pt. scale
GB
Kings
p
Family
95.2
94.4
NS
Responsibility
93.2
93.2
NS
Freedom
87.5
89.1
NS
Friendship
88.4
86.4
NS
Financial Security
80.6
72.4
P<.000
Generosity
78.4
73.4
P<.000
Pleasure
70.8
68.6
NS
Spiritual
67.2
52.5
P<.000
Career Success
68
58.3
P<.000
Material Wealth
32.4
22.8
P<.000
Factor Analysis of Values
Scales
Social factor (family life, friendship,
generosity, spiritual)
 Materialistic factor (material wealth,
financial security, career, pleasure)
 Factor scores

Values and Life Satisfaction
% Describing Self as Very Satisfied With Life
Quartile Value Score
Low Score
on Value
Factor
2
3
High
Score on
Value
Factor
Social
Values
30.1
36.2
45.4
46.5
P<.000
Material
Values
38.6
37.4
38.7
43.4
ns
Distribution of Material
value Scores
30
25
20
%
15
respondents
10
GB
Kings
5
0
Low
2
3
High
Wellbeing and Values
Majority in both communities
reported that they were motivated
by pro-social values but living in a
materialistic society
 Pro-social values associated with
higher levels of life-satisfaction
 Glace Bay slightly more materialistic

Self-Reported Stress
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
GB
Kings
Very
Somewhat
Not very
Not At All
Sources of Stress
Kings
 Too many
demands
 Too many hours
 Insufficient
autonomy
 Interpersonal
conflict




Glace Bay
Too few hours
Risk
Fear of layoffs
Activity and Stress
80
70
60
50
GB
Kings
40
30
20
10
0
Employed
Unemployed
Students
Homemakers
Retired
Stress and Employment




More two-income families in Kings
(contributes to higher incomes)
Two-income families much more highly
stressed than one income families
Two income families on Kings more highly
stressed than in Glace Bay
No differences between one-income
families
Stress and household
income
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
70,000+
5069,999
3549,999
2034,999
-20
GB
Kings
The Downside of Success
Greater prosperity and financial
security of Kings comes at a cost
with respect to higher levels of
stress.
Wellbeing is more inequitable in Glace Bay
60
% Very Satisfed
50
40
30
20
10
0
-20,000
2034,999
3549,999
5069,999
70,000
Glace Bay
25.5
43
35.4
50.2
57.8
Kings
33.2
36.5
34.4
39.3
49.3
Glace Bay
Kings
Wellbeing and Economy



No significant difference in lifesatisfaction between GB and Kings,
despite differences in income and
economic security
But GB more likely to believe that there
life-satisfaction could be improved by
improved material circumstances
Therefore- more materialistic values
Great Expectations
Already have rates of lifesatisfaction that are similar to Kings
 Yet they expect a greater increase
from improved determinants
 Does GB expect more from income
gains than can be delivered?

Example of “focusing illusion”
“When people consider the impact of any single
factor on their wellbeing- not only income- they
are prone to exaggerate its importance. We refer
to this tendency as the focusing illusion…
Despite the weak relation between income and
global life satisfaction or experienced happiness,
many people are highly motivated to increase
their income.”
Daniel Kahneman- Economist, Princeton University
Daniel Gilbert: Stumbling
on Happiness (2006)
“Economies thrive when individuals
strive, but because individuals will
only strive for their own happiness,
it is essential that they mistakenly
believe that producing and
consuming are routes to personal
wellbeing”
Higher Inequities in Glace
Bay

Is the greater emphasis on material
values in Glace Bay linked to the
greater reported inequities
High income GB are more satisfied and
low income are less satisfied than their
counterparts in Kings
Stresses reflect local realities
Kings
Higher stress
• Too much work
• Two-income families
(more of them and
more highly stressed
than GB)
• 25% would trade
increases for less time
• Unemployment more
stressful
Glace Bay
• Too little work
• Job insecurity
• 14% would trade
increases for less time
• Both employment and
unemployment are
less stressful
Catch 22



Higher incomes in Kings are associated
with higher stress levels but their lifesatisfaction is no higher than the lower
income, less stressed Glace Bay residents
Less likely to expect improvements in lifesatisfaction due to material improvements
than Glace bay residents
“Been there, done that”
Value Alienation?
Large majority of
respondents in both
communities believe they are
socially motivated individuals
living in a materialistic
society.
Wellbeing and Values
Positive social values intrinsically
related to wellbeing while
materialistic values are not
 Consistent with growing research
literature demonstrating that
positive social action is associated
with higher levels of wellbeing
