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Sibling projects

This English language Happiness Indicator is one of an international family of projects, all of which use the same technique. All these variants involve the Happiness Comparer and the Happiness Diary, but differ in the additional tools they provide. All feed on the server at Erasmus University Rotterdam to provide participants instant feedback. Data are added to a common pool from which all the sibling projects can draw. A large data pool is required to identify consequences of life choices for particular kinds of people, e.g. for finding out what types of women becomes happier when they become mothers and what types do not. The data pool can also be used to select control groups.

Applications of this technique are described in more detail on a prospectus which can be downloaded here.
In this brochure you will also find information about access to the common data-pool and costs of participation.
For further information mail us at veenhoven@ese.eur.nl or ehero@ese.eur.nl.

Project history
This project is a brain child of Ruut Veenhoven, emeritus professor of social conditions for human happiness. The first version was a web-based happiness diary, which was used in a follow-up study of senior students at Erasmus University in The Netherlands, which started in 2007, done in conjunction with Lianda Vermeulen and Peter Hermus. Veenhoven developed a next version together with the health insurance company VGZ, initially represented by Paul Hogerbrugge and later by Pieter van Haren. In that phase the facility of instant comparison with other participants was added, for which Peter Hermus developed the software. This GeluksWijzer was launched in 2010 and was made free available to the general public. The tool was perfectioned step by step under the direction of Wido Oerlemans, who lead the project over the years 2010-2014. Since 2015 the project has been part of EHERO research, directed by Martijn Burger and Guy van Liempt, with Ruut Veenhoven remaining involved as an advisor.
To date (2020) the site has attracted more than 140.000 visitors about a quarter of whom have used the tool more than once. A recent follow-up of 5000 frequent users has shown a positive effect of using the site on happiness.
A number of associated projects in other languages and countries is planned to be launched in 2021.