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Impact and Happiness: The Key Role of Generativity on Subjective Wellbeing

Leonardo Becchetti & Gianluigi Conzo

Italian Economic Journal2026https://doi.org/10.1007/s40797-026-00373-6article
ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

We define generativity as the expected social impact of a given action, distinguishing it from earlier notions of pure altruism and warm glow, and modeling it as a key driver of subjective wellbeing. We test the impact of generativity on subjective wellbeing using data from the European Social Survey and find that generativity is positively and significantly associated with subjective wellbeing. Our results are consistent across survey waves and various demographic subgroups (gender, age, and education) and are significant when considering only individuals who live in the same country. Furthermore, by applying an instrumental variable approach, we also examine the causal relationship between generativity and subjective wellbeing. Our findings imply that public policies should establish conditions that enable and promote citizens’ generative behavior and practices.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40797-026-00373-6

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@article{leonardo2026,
  title        = {{Impact and Happiness: The Key Role of Generativity on Subjective Wellbeing}},
  author       = {Leonardo Becchetti & Gianluigi Conzo},
  journal      = {Italian Economic Journal},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s40797-026-00373-6},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.