Gender and the pathways to subjective well-being

The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences in the pathways to life satisfaction and happiness. The analysis focused on the effects of undesirable events and the intervening influences of subjective assessments and social statuses. Using GSS(NORC) data from 1987–1990 (women = 915 and men = 700) findings suggest that men and women are more similar than different in their responses to undesirable life events. Modifying influences, however, appear to reject some gender-role effects. Women also experienced a persistent influence from distal events on life satisfaction, while men were more responsive to recent conditions in terms of global happiness. Overall, there was mixed support for gender differences found elsewhere in the life events literature.