Measuring human wellbeing: A protocol for selecting local indicators

Robin Loveridge; Susannah M Sallu; Ignatus J Pesha; Andrew Marshall

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2020.09.002

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Measuring human wellbeing: A protocol for selecting local indicators

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Measuring human wellbeing: A protocol for selecting local indicators

Robin Loveridge, Susannah M Sallu, Ignatus J Pesha and Andrew Marshall

Environmental Science & Policy, Vol.114, pp.461-469

2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2020.09.002

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Abstract

Social assessment

Trade-Offs

Mixed methods

Human wellbeing

Sustainable development goals

Improving human wellbeing is a major focus of international environmental and sustainable development policy. However, clearly defined measures of wellbeing are needed as an empirical base for the formulation and evaluation of policies. Despite conceptual progress towards agreement of universally relevant dimensions of wellbeing, consensus is still lacking on how to translate these dimensions into locally appropriate indicators to measure wellbeing in different contexts. This paper focuses on three interrelated challenges associated with this knowledge gap: (1) navigating trade-offs between complexity versus simplicity of concept; (2) integrating top-down and bottom-up perspectives; (3) ensuring a cost-effective and flexible approach suitable for different policy contexts. We contribute to filling this gap by developing a step-by-step Wellbeing Indicator Selection Protocol (WISP) for measuring wellbeing. The protocol integrates perspectives through an interdisciplinary mixed methods design that includes cross-validation between quantitative approaches of redundancy analysis and statistical modelling and qualitative approaches of focus groups and thematic analysis. In this way we promote a pragmatic approach suitable for a range of social and environmental contexts. We tested WISP in rural Tanzania, identifying 111 candidate wellbeing indicators. This list was simplified to a subset of 19 indicators that retained 91 % of measured variation among all wellbeing indicators. The simplified list was representative of both a multidimensional concept of wellbeing and the diversity of opinions sampled. We conclude that the protocol provides practical, statistically validated guidance to support the design of wellbeing assessments, maintaining coherence between universal theory and local realities.

Details

Title: Measuring human wellbeing: A protocol for selecting local indicators
Authors: Robin Loveridge (Author) - University of York
Susannah M Sallu (Author) - University of Leeds
Ignatus J Pesha (Author) - Sokoine University of Agriculture
Andrew Marshall (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
Publication details: Environmental Science & Policy, Vol.114, pp.461-469
Publisher: Elsevier Inc.
Date published: 2020
DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2020.09.002
ISSN: 1873-6416; 1462-9011
Copyright note: © 2020, Elsevier. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Organisation Unit: Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99483707702621
Output Type: Journal article