Richard Easterlin

Economist, University of Southern California

Appears in 1 story

Born: January 12, 1926, Ridgefield Park

Died: December 14, 2024

Education: Stevens Institute of Technology, University of Pennsylvania

Last updated Nov 2, 2026

Stories

Four decades of tracking human happiness

New Capabilities

As of May 2026: Professor Emeritus

Since 1981, the World Values Survey has asked people in over 100 countries a simple question: Are you happy? Happiness rose in 45 of 52 countries across six survey waves from 1981 to 2007, with the steepest gains in India, Ireland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and South Korea.

Updated May 22