How’s the world feeling?
Emotion is such a significant element of the human experience. But how we feel collectively is also a key indicator of societal health and development. Understanding the emotional health of citizens helps decision-makers make choices about how to get workplaces, institutions, communities and countries to thrive. Conventional indicators don’t capture this type of data.
Are the good times here again?
Published by the global analytics and advice firm Gallup, the Global Emotions Report(opens in new window) measured adults’ daily positive and negative experiences in 142 countries and areas in 2022. The annual edition is based on responses to five questions about the day before: Did you feel well-rested? Were you treated with respect? Did you smile or laugh a lot? Did you learn or do something interesting? Did you experience enjoyment? Findings revealed the countries where people were the most positive or negative as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the report, “positive emotions recovered in 2022. More people felt well-rested, experienced enjoyment, and smiled or laughed the previous day than in 2021. At the same time, the global rise in unhappiness stalled, with negative emotions remaining at the record high set in 2021.” About 4 in 10 adults experienced a great deal of worry (41 %) or stress (40 %), while nearly one in three experienced much physical pain (32 %). More than one in four experienced sadness (27 %), and a bit less experienced anger (23 %). “There wasn’t any upward movement, which is a positive sign, but it also stayed at its highest level that we’ve ever measured,” Julie Ray, managing editor for world news at Gallup, told ‘CNN’(opens in new window). “As people started to emerge from the grips of pandemic … it’s a little bit of a release of that pressure valve.”
Emotional hot spots
Several European countries ranked(opens in new window) among the highest (top 5) and lowest (bottom 5) on these questions. Finland experienced the least amount of anger of any country. Norway, Iceland and Estonia also made the bottom five. Poland made the bottom five for sadness. Lithuanians worry less than everyone else. Despite this, there’s not much smiling and laughing going on in Lithuania. The Poles and Swedes don’t feel much physical pain. Denmark, Ireland and Iceland know how to have a good time. The good times may be back, but it’s not time to celebrate just yet, cautioned Ray: “It’s a little early for a lot of countries and leaders and policymakers and businesses and organizations to really relax because those negative experiences are still at their highest level that we’ve ever measured.”