Trust, Happiness, and Pro-Social Behavior

Abstract This paper combines several large-scale surveys and empirical strategies to shed new light on the determinants of cooperative behavior. We provide evidence indicating that level trust maximizing subjective well-being tends be above income level. Higher is also linked more pro-social behaviors, including private provision global public goods such as climate change mitigation. Consistent with “warm glow” theories behavior, our results indicate individuals may enjoy being than what would lead them maximize income, which can reflected in higher levels well-being.