| Selfreport on single question: Here is a picture of a ladder. Suppose we say that the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom represents the worst possible life for you. Where on the ladder do you feel you personally stand at the present time? [ 10 ] best possible life [ 9 ] [ 8 ] [ 7 ] [ 6 ] [ 5 ] [ 4 ] [ 3 ] [ 2 ] [ 1 ] [ 0 ] worst possible life Preceded by 1) open questions about what the respondent imagines as the best possible life and the worst possible life. 2) ratings on the ladder of one's life five years ago and where on the ladder one expects to stand five years from now. Name: Cantril's self anchoring ladder rating of life (original) | |
| Classification | |
| Focus, C-BW | Contentment: Best-Worst possible life |
| Time frame, c | currently (today, these days, presently) |
| Mode, sq | 1 question |
| Scale type, l | ladder scale Range = 11 |
| Used in studies | |
| Reference | Anonymous (1985): study US 1974 |
| Title | The State of the Nation. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1974 |
| Reference | Anonymous (1985): study US 1982 |
| Title | The State of the Nation. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1982 |
| Reference | Antonovsky et al. (1971): study IL 1968 |
| Title | Twenty-Five Years Later: A Limited Study of Sequelae of the Concentration Camp Experience. |
| Public | Females, born between 1914-1923 in Central Europe, Israel 1968 |
| Reference | Arnold et al. (2006): study NL 2001 |
| Title | Changes in Personal Control as a Predictor of Quality of Life after Pulmonary Rehabilitation. |
| Public | COPD patients, before and after 20 week rehabilitation programme, Netherlands, 2001-2002 |
| Reference | Ball & Robbins (1984): study US 1983 |
| Title | Marital Status and Life Satisfaction of Black Men. |
| Public | 18+ aged, black men, Florida, USA, 1983 |
| Reference | Bohn (1972): study ZZ Various nation sets 1960 |
| Title | The Effect of Children upon Life Satisfaction. A Thesis in Child Development and Family Relationships. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Dominican Republic, Panama and Yugoslavia, ± 1960 |
| Reference | Bortner & Hultsch (1970): study US 1959 8 |
| Title | A Multivariate Analysis of Correlates of Life Satisfaction in Adulthood. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, USA, 1959 |
| Reference | Bortner et al. (1974): study ZZ Various nation sets 1962 |
| Title | A Cross-Cultural Study of the Effects of Children on Parental Assessment of Past, Present and Future. |
| Public | 21+ aged, married, Dominican Republic, Yugoslavia, Panama, 1962 |
| Reference | Bradshaw et al. (2006): study ZZ OECD member states 2001 |
| Title | Comparing Child Well-Being in OECD Countries: Concepts and Methods. |
| Public | Adolescents, 29 nations, 2001 |
| Reference | Bulatao (1973): study PH Manila 1972 1-4 |
| Title | Measures of Happiness among Manila Residents. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Metro Manila, Philippines, 1972 |
| Reference | Burkholder (2005): study CN 2004 11 |
| Title | China's Citizens Optimistic, Yet not Entirely Satisfied. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, China, 2004 |
| Reference | Cantril & Roll (1971): study US 1964 |
| Title | Hopes and Fears of the American People. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, USA, 1964-1971 |
| Reference | Cantril & Roll (1971): study US 1964 |
| Title | Hopes and Fears of the American People. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1964 |
| Reference | Cantril & Roll (1971): study US 1971 1+4 |
| Title | Hopes and Fears of the American People. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, United States, 1971 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study BR 1960 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, Brazil, 1960-1961 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study CS 1962 spring |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Yugoslavia, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study CU 1960 4-5 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 20+ aged, general public, urban areas, Cuba, 1960 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study DO 1962 4 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Dominican Republic, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study EG 1960 fall |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 15+ aged, general public, Egypt, 1960 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study HR 1962 spring |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, Croatia, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study IL 1961 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 20+ aged general public, Israel, 1961-62 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study IL 1962 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | Adults, living in Kibutz, Israel, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study IN 1962 10 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | Adults, age range not reported, general public, India, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study IN 1962 summer |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 20+ aged general public, India, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study JP 1962 fall |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Japan, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study NG 1963 9 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Nigeria, 1962-63 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study PA 1962 1-3 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Panama, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study PH 1959 spring |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, Philipines, 1959 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study PL 1962 spring |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, Poland, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study SI 1962 spring |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, Slovenia, 1962 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study US 1959 8 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, USA, 1959 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study XZ Germany West 1957 9 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | Adults, general public, West-Germany, 1957 |
| Reference | Cantril (1965): study ZZ 1960 |
| Title | The Pattern of Human Concern. |
| Public | 20+ aged general public, 14 countries, ±1960 |
| Reference | Caplow et al. (1991): study US 1974 2 |
| Title | Recent Social Trends in the United States 1960 - 1990. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1974 |
| Reference | Caplow et al. (1991): study US 1985 |
| Title | Recent Social Trends in the United States 1960 - 1990. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1985 |
| Reference | Cornelisse-Vermaat (2005): study NL 2001 |
| Title | Household Production, Health and Happiness. A Comparison of the Native Dutch and Non-Western Immigrants in the Netherlands. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, The Netherlands, 2001 |
| Reference | Czapinski & Peeters (1989): study ZZ Various nation sets 1985 |
| Title | Life Satisfaction and Well-Being among Poles and Belgians: A Preliminary Verification of "Onion" Theory of Happiness. |
| Public | 25+ aged, Belgium and Poland, 198? |
| Reference | Czapinski (1993): study PL 1991 12 |
| Title | Polski Generalny Sondaz Dobrostanu Psychicznego 1991-1992. (Polisch General Well-Being Survey. Panel Study 1991-1992.) |
| Public | Adults, age range not reported, general public, Poland, 1991 |
| Reference | Czapinski (1993): study PL 1992 12 |
| Title | Polski Generalny Sondaz Dobrostanu Psychicznego 1991-1992. (Polisch General Well-Being Survey. Panel Study 1991-1992.) |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, Poland, 1992 |
| Reference | Czapinski (1993): study PL 1993 9 |
| Title | Polski Generalny Sondaz Dobrostanu Psychicznego 1991-1992. (Polisch General Well-Being Survey. Panel Study 1991-1992.) |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, Poland, 1993 |
| Reference | Easterlin (1974): study ZZ 1957 |
| Title | Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? Some Empirical Evidence. |
| Public | Adults, general public, 14 nations, 1957-1962 |
| Reference | Fromm et al. (1996): study US 1991 |
| Title | Positive and Negative Psycholosocial Sequelae of Bone Marrow Transplantation: Implications for Quality of Life Assessment. |
| Public | Adult bone marrow transplantation survivors, USA. 1991 |
| Reference | Jones (2004): study US 2004 1 |
| Title | Americans: Life is Good and Will only Improve. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, USA, 2004 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1959 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1959 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1964 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 21+ aged, general public, United States, 1964 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1971 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1971 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1972 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1972 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1974 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1974 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1975 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1975 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1975 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1975 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1975 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1975 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1975 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1975 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1976 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1976 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1976 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1976 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1977 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1977 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1977 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1977 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1977 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1977 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1977 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1977 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1978 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1978 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1978 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1978 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1978 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1978 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1978 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1978 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1979 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1979 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1979 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1979 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1979 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1979 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1979 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1979 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1980 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1980 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1980 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1980 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1980 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1980 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1980 quarter 4 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1980 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1981 quarter 1 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1981 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1981 quarter 2 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1981 |
| Reference | Lipset & Schneider (1983): study US 1981 quarter 3 |
| Title | The Confidence Gap. Business, Lanor and Government in the Public Mind. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1981 |
| Reference | Lounsbury et al. (1979): study US Tennessee 1975 8 |
| Title | The Relationship of Avowed Life Satisfaction to Public Acceptance of and Expectations about a Nuclear Power Plant. |
| Public | Adults, general public, Hartsville/Trousdale County, Tennessee, USA, 1975 |
| Reference | Monk et al. (1976): study ZZ Scandinavia 1976 |
| Title | Personal and Social Value Concerns of Scandinavian Elderly: A Multivariate Study. |
| Public | 50+ aged, Denmark, Norway, 1973 |
| Reference | Morawetz (1977): study IL 1976 4 |
| Title | Income Distributions and Self-Rated Happiness: Some Empirical Evidence. |
| Public | Adults, two villages (one equal in incomes, one unequal), Israel, 1976 |
| Reference | Palmore (1975): study JP 1973 9 |
| Title | The Honorable Elders: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Aging in Japan. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, Japan, 1973 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1964 9 |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1964 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1971 1/8-11th |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1971 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1972 5 |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1972 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1974 4 |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1974 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1976 6 |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1979 8/10-13th |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1979 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 1998 4/23th-5/31th |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1998 |
| Reference | Saad (2002): study US 2001 1/10-14th |
| Title | Optimism about Nation's Future Up Sharply from Last Year. Evaluations of Personal Life Remain Highly Positive. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2001 |
| Reference | Sarapata (1986): study PL 1984 |
| Title | Aspirations, Apprehensions and Hopes of the Poles. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, Poland, 1984 |
| Reference | Shin & Rutkowski (2003): study KR 1981 7 |
| Title | Subjective Quality of Korean Life in 1981 and 2001. |
| Public | 20+ aged, general public, Korea,(South), 1981 |
| Reference | Shin & Rutkowski (2003): study KR 2001 3 |
| Title | Subjective Quality of Korean Life in 1981 and 2001. |
| Public | 20+ aged, general public, Korea,(South), 2001 |
| Reference | TerBogt et al. (2003): study NL 2001 9-12 |
| Title | Psychische Gezondheid, Risicogedrag en Welbevinden van Nederlandse Scholieren. ( Psychlogical Health, Risk Behavior and Well-Being of Dutch Adolescents). |
| Public | 11-15 aged schoolchildren, the Netherlands, 2001 |
| Reference | Thomas & Chambers (1989): study ZZ East-West pairs 1984 |
| Title | Phenomenology of Life Satisfaction among Elderly Men: Quantitative and Qualitative Views. |
| Public | 70+ aged, highly educated men, New Delhi, India & London, England, 198? |
| Reference | Thomas (1991): study GB 1986 |
| Title | Correlates of Sexual Interest among Elderly Men. |
| Public | 70-94 aged males, London, UK, 198? |
| Reference | VanHoof & Raaijmakers (2002): study NL 1997 |
| Title | The Spatial Integration of Adolescent Identity: Its Relation to Age, Education, and subjective Well-Being. |
| Public | 12-21 aged, secondary schools, The Netherlands, 1997? |
| Reference | Veenhoven & Verkuyten (1989): study NL 1986 |
| Title | The Well-Being of Only Children. |
| Public | Secondary school pupils, The Netherlands, 1986 |
| Reference | Veenhoven (1989): study ZZ 1957 |
| Title | National Wealth and Individual Happiness. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, 14 nations, 1957-1962 |
| Reference | Watts & Free (1978): study US 1972 |
| Title | State of the Nation III. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1972 |
| Reference | Watts & Free (1978): study US 1974 |
| Title | State of the Nation III. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1974 |
| Reference | Watts & Free (1978): study US 1974 1 |
| Title | State of the Nation III. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1974 |
| Reference | Watts & Free (1978): study US 1976 1 |
| Title | State of the Nation III. |
| Public | 16+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | Watts & Free (1978): study US 1976 5 |
| Title | State of the Nation III. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1976 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (0): study CN 1997 |
| Title | Gallup Homepage. |
| Public | Adults, age range not reported, general public, China, 1997 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (0): study US 2007 1 |
| Title | Gallup Homepage. |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2007 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 1979 8-7 |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1979 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 1985 3/8-11th |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 1985 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 2002 1/7-9th |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2002 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 2003 1/13-16th |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2003 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 2004 1/12-15 |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2004 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 2005 1/3-5th |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2005 |
| Reference | ~Gallup (2008): study US 2006 9/1th-12/1th |
| Title | Gallup Brain: Archive of Gallup polls since 1935 |
| Public | 18+ aged, general public, United States, 2006 |