Happiness in America is on the decline, according to a new report released Monday.
The U.N.'s "World Happiness Report" launched just in time for International Day of Happiness on March 20, a U.N. holiday established in 2012 and celebrated around the world Monday.
But according to the new report, happiness in America has decreased over the years. Since the U.N.’s first report in 2012, the nation has fallen three spots.
To come up with the happiness rankings, analysts examined answers to a specific question from the 2014-16 Gallup World Poll, a popular, massive survey with respondents from 155 different countries.
Approximately 2,000-3,000 people from each country participated.
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The question (included below) asks respondents to rate their lives on a scale of zero to 10 across six factors: life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom, corruption and GDP.
Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top. Suppose we say that the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you, and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time, assuming that the higher the step the better you feel about your life, and the lower the step the worse you feel about it? Which step comes closest to the way you feel?
According to the report, these happiness measures are often used by governments, organizations and civil society to inform their policy-making decisions.
With an average rank of 7.537, the happiest country in the world is Norway, according to the poll.
The least happy on the list is the Central African Republic, which scored an average happiness rank of 2.693.
As for America, the country fell to No. 14 from No. 11 in 2012 with a current average happiness rank of 6.993.
According to the World Happiness Report, the reasons for America’s reduced happiness in a nutshell are declining social support and increased corruption.
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Though individual incomes have increased roughly three times since 1960, “measured happiness” has not risen.
America’s problems with rising income inequality, distrust with the government, how the country reacted to the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the nation’s “deteriorating” educational system are some possible factors cited in the report.
“America’s crisis is, in short, a social crisis, not an economic crisis,” the report’s authors wrote.
Learn more about the World Happiness Report and its methodology.
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