Also, when we talk about life expectancy increasing, we're usually talking average, and most of the increase in the last hundred years has come about as a result of decreased infant mortality. If you make it to 65 or so, you'll probably live 3-4 years longer than a 65-year-old in 1900.
Infant mortality, of course, does relate to the average wealth of a country (but not perfectly, by any stretch). I'm just adding to Chris's comment. m -- Marc Carter, PhD Associate Professor and Chair Department of Psychology College of Arts & Sciences Baker University -- ________________________________ From: Christopher D. Green [mailto:chri...@yorku.ca] Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 8:17 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] The joy of stats Stephen Black drew attention to: A remarkable graphical display of economic progress at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo Rosling fails to point out one of the most significant aspects of the data: almost all of the increases life expectancy come between incomes of $400 and $4000. Only relatively small increases occur between $4000 and $40,000 (which is, as Jim earlier noted, TEN TIMES as much of an increase in income). This is in line with the conclusions of the book I was "pushing" a few weeks ago: _The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone_. More important than just life expectancy, the same thing is roughly true for any measure of the quality of life. We appear to have reached something of a ceiling in the ability of money to improve the quality of our lives. Sure, it's great to have your own monster house or yacht or airplane, but the increase in happiness it produces, on a dollar for dollar basis, is minuscule compared to what the first few thousand dollars of income does for one's life. What does seem to produce big increases in quality of life measures, even for those at the top of the income scale, is living in more equal societies. I know -- these are nearly unsayable words in today's America (but then again, evolution by natural selection is almost unsayable as well). Chris -- Christopher D. Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 Canada 416-736-2100 ex. 66164 chri...@yorku.ca<mailto:chri...@yorku.ca> http://www.yorku.ca/christo/ ========================== --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: marc.car...@bakeru.edu<mailto:marc.car...@bakeru.edu>. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13029.76c7c563b32ad9d8d09c72a2d17c90e1&n=T&l=tips&o=7206 (It may be necessary to cut and paste the above URL if the line is broken) or send a blank email to leave-7206-13029.76c7c563b32ad9d8d09c72a2d17c9...@fsulist.frostburg.edu<mailto:leave-7206-13029.76c7c563b32ad9d8d09c72a2d17c9...@fsulist.frostburg.edu> ________________________________ The information contained in this e-mail and any attachments thereto ("e-mail") is sent by Baker University ("BU") and is intended to be confidential and for the use of only the individual or entity named above. The information may be protected by federal and state privacy and disclosures acts or other legal rules. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are notified that retention, dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please immediately notify Baker University by email reply and immediately and permanently delete this e-mail message and any attachments thereto. Thank you. --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@jab.org. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=7207 or send a blank email to leave-7207-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
