Do the internet, economic growth, and environmental quality spur people's happiness during Covid-19 pandemic?


Abstract


Factors affecting people's happiness have attracted much attention in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper was conducted to investigate whether internet use, economic growth, and environmental quality improvements can ease psychological darns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the context of Southeast countries, and by applying the Bayesian inference, the findings of this study are summarized: (i) internet use and economic growth positively drive people's happiness; (ii) the effect of environmental quality on happiness is unclear in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on this evidence, the study suggests practical implications for policymakers in boosting economic growth and enhancing people's happiness.

DOI Code: 10.1285/i20705948v17n1p20

Keywords: Bayesian inference; COVID-19 pandemic; happiness; economic growth; environmental quality

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