收入差距、物质渴求与伊斯特林悖论——基于2014年中国家庭追踪调查数据的经验分析

Income Disparity,Material Aspirations and Easterlin Paradox:an Empirical Analysis by Using the CFPS2014 Data

本文运用中国家庭追踪调查(CFPS)2014年的数据,考察了收入差距对居民主观幸福的影响,以及物质渴求的中介效应机制。研究表明,第一,在整体水平上,收入差距扩大显著降低居民主观幸福感,基尼系数下降0.1,给居民主观幸福感带来的效应相当于家庭人均收入提高247.62%。使用不同的收入差距衡量指标和主观幸福感指标均得出一致性的结果。第二,收入差距与居民主观幸福感之间呈倒“U”型关系。通过计算,驻点所对应的基尼系数为0.3287,中国居民收入差距在驻点右侧,即降低居民主观幸福感阶段。第三,中介机制分析表明,收入差距的扩大提高居民的物质渴求水平,而物质渴求负向影响居民幸福感。验证了收入差距通过增加难以有效满足的物质渴求降低居民主观幸福感,为“Easterlin悖论”提供新的理论解释。分样本回归表明,收入差距扩大对生活在乡村、物质渴求者、女性、上网、农业户口、低收入以及低教育的居民的负向影响更大。

Based on the CFPS2014 data,?this paper has analyzed the effect of income disparity on the subjective well-being of residents,and the mechanism of mediating effect of substance aspirations.The study shows that,first,at the overall level,the widening income disparity significantly reduces residents subjective well-being:with The Gini coefficient decreasing 0.1,the effect on the subjective well-being of the residents is equivalent to the increase of the per capita income of the household 247.62%;consistent results were obtained by using different income disparity measures and subjective well-being indicators.Secondly,the relationship between income disparity and subjective well-being of residents is inverted“U”type:by calculation,the Gini coefficient corresponding to the inflection point is 0.3287,and the income disparity of residents in China is on the right side of the turning point,that is,the stage of reducing residents’subjective well-being.Thirdly,the mediating mechanism analysis shows that the widening of income disparity improves the level of material aspirations,and material aspiration negatively affects the well-being of residents.In summary,this paper provides evidence that income disparities reduce residents’subjective well-being by increasing the channels of material aspirations that are difficult to meet effectively,providing a new theoretical explanation for Easterlin Paradox.Sample regression showed that the widening income disparity had a greater negative impact on people living in the countryside,the material hungry,women,online,agricultural residence,low income and low education.