Ambition and Jealousy: Income Interactions in the ‘Old’ Europe versus the ‘New’ Europe and the United States

摘要: Using individual-level data from a large number of countries, this paper examines how self-reported subjective well-being depends on own income and reference income, where is defined as the professional peers. It uncovers divide between "old" -low mobility- European countries versus "new" post-Transition United States. Whereas in old Europe, my group exerts negative effect individual welfare, it has positive impact new Europe This finding interpreted reflecting relative importance comparisons ("jealousy") information ("ambition"), which turn degree mobility uncertainty economy.