According to a study titled, “The association between objective and subjective socioeconomic standing and subjective well-being”, led by SMU Assistant Professor of Psychology Jacinth Tan, findings revealed that what matters more is how people 'perceive' their income and educational standing compared to others. In the famous words of Mark Twain, “Comparison is the death of joy.” In findings that are applicable to the workplace, and on the heels of the International Day of Happiness on 20 March, the study found that people with higher subjective socioeconomic status – i.e. their perception of their income and educational standing compared to others – reported significantly higher levels of happiness.
