Table 4 Correlations and descriptive statistics

WVS 1995

1

2

 1. happiness (xingfu)

 2. satisfaction (manyi)

0.44^a

 Mean (SD)

1.95 (0.66)

6.83 (2.42)

 Range

1–4

1–10

 N

1491

1495

WVS 2007

1

2

 1. happy (yukuai)

 2. satisfaction (manyi)

0.53^a

 Mean (SD)

2.06 (0.75)

6.76 (2.40)

 Range

1–4

1–10

 N

1978

1937

WVS 2012

1

2

 1. happy (yukuai)

 2. satisfaction (manyi)

0.50^a

 Mean (SD)

1.99 (0.58)

6.85 (1.98)

 Range

1–4

1–10

 N

2272

2252

AB 2006

1

2

 1. enjoying life (xiangshou shenghuo)

 2. happiness (xingfu)

0.45^a

 Mean (SD)

2.07 (0.77)

1.50 (0.67)

 Range

1–4

1–4

 N

1997

1998

BH 2016

1

2

3

4

5

 1. happy (kuaile)

 2. happiness (xingfu)

0.33^a

 3. satisfied (manyi) with job

0.27^a

0.35^a

 4. meaning (yiyi)

0.24^a

0.36^a

0.33^a

 5. good life (hao shenghuo)

0.28***

0.42^a

0.44^a

0.44^a

 Mean (SD)

3.07 (0.53)

3.98 (0.63)

2.84 (0.61)

3.17 (0.55)

2.98 (0.60)

 Range

1–4

1–5

1–4

1–4

1–4

  N

2597

2635

2189

2557

2561