Eurovision Song Contest Associated With Increase in Life Satisfaction

Summary: According to researchers, success in big events can help boost a nation’s health and wellbeing. The study, which looked at data from people whose countries participate in the Eurovision song contest, found people were 4% more likely to be satisfied with their lives with every ten place increase on the final score board. Additionally, finishing near the bottom was linked to a 13% increase in life satisfaction compared to people whose countries did not participate in the contest at all.

Source: Imperial College London.

Participating in the Eurovision Song Contest may be linked to an increase in a nation’s life satisfaction, according to new research.

The study, by scientists at Imperial College London, found that people were four per cent more likely to be satisfied with their life for every increase of ten places on the final score board – e.g. their country finishing 2nd rather than 12th.

The research, published in the journal BMC Public Health, also found doing badly in the contest was associated with a greater increase in life satisfaction compared to not taking part at all.

The team, who were surprised to find the result, say the research chimes with previous studies that show success in big events, such as sporting fixtures, can boost a nation’s health and well-being.

Dr Filippos Filippidis, lead author of the research from the School of Public Health at Imperial, said: “This finding emerged from a jokey conversation in our department. Our ‘day job’ involves investigating the effect of public policies, environmental factors and economic conditions on people’s lifestyle and health.

“Our department employs people from lots of different countries and around the time of the Eurovision Song Contest we were chatting about whether the competition could also affect a country’s national wellbeing. We looked into it and were surprised to see there may be a link.”

Eurodata analysis

The researchers analysed data from over 160,000 people from 33 European countries. All the people completed a questionnaire as a part of a survey called the Eurobarometer, which is conducted several times each year by the European Commission. Among other things, the survey asks people how satisfied they feel with their life.

The team, who analysed data collected around the time of the Eurovision Song Contest (May and June) between 2009-2015, found that people reported being more satisfied with their life if their country had done well in the Eurovision Song Contest that year.

The researchers then calculated an increase of 10 places on the final scoreboard – e.g. if a country finished 2nd instead of 12th – was associated with a four per cent higher chance of being satisfied with life. However, winning the competition was not associated with an additional increase in life satisfaction.

eurovision logo
Could Eurovision impact on life satisfaction? NeuroscienceNews.com image is in adapted from the Imperial College London news release.

The scientists then compared data from countries who participated but did badly, to countries who didn’t take part at all. They found that taking part but finishing near the bottom of the table was associated with a 13 per cent higher chance of life satisfaction compared to not taking part in the competition.

The team stress the research only shows there is an association – rather than directly showing the contest is responsible for raising life satisfaction. However, Dr Filippidis says the work highlights the possible impact of big events on a nation’s psyche.

“Previous work, by other teams around the world, has shown that national events may affect mood and even productivity – for instance research suggests an increase in productivity in the winning city of the US Super Bowl.”

He added that doing well in Eurovision or even just being part of it gives people something positive to discuss – rather than more negative events in the news.

“It increases the amount of good feeling around, even among people who are not particularly interested in the competition. I remember when Greece won in 2005 – in the weeks that followed people seemed to be in a better mood.”

He added: “Our research shows that science can be used to test unexpected questions, but more importantly we hope it will encourage people to consider how our wellbeing, and consequently our health, can be influenced by a range of factors in the public sphere.”

But he admits he wouldn’t call himself a fan of the competition.

“I’ve been known to occasionally watch it in previous years. It’s certainly entertaining, but I don’t take it too seriously.”

About this neuroscience research article

Funding: Jacek Debiec receives funding from University of Michigan, National Institutes of Health and Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.

Source: Imperial College London
Publisher: Organized by NeuroscienceNews.com.
Image Source: NeuroscienceNews.com image is adapted from the Imperial College London news release.
Video Source: Video credited to Imperial College London.
Original Research: Open access research for “Euphoria” or “Only Teardrops”? Eurovision Song Contest performance, life satisfaction and suicide” by Filippos T. Filippidis and Anthony A. Laverty in BMC Public Health. Published May 11 2018.
doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5497-3

Cite This NeuroscienceNews.com Article

[cbtabs][cbtab title=”MLA”]Imperial College London”Eurovision Song Contest Associated With Increase in Life Satisfaction.” NeuroscienceNews. NeuroscienceNews, 11 May 2018.
<https://neurosciencenews.com/eurovision-life-satisfaction-9031/>.[/cbtab][cbtab title=”APA”]Imperial College London(2018, May 11). Eurovision Song Contest Associated With Increase in Life Satisfaction. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved May 11, 2018 from https://neurosciencenews.com/eurovision-life-satisfaction-9031/[/cbtab][cbtab title=”Chicago”]Imperial College London”Eurovision Song Contest Associated With Increase in Life Satisfaction.” https://neurosciencenews.com/eurovision-life-satisfaction-9031/ (accessed May 11, 2018).[/cbtab][/cbtabs]


Abstract

Euphoria” or “Only Teardrops”? Eurovision Song Contest performance, life satisfaction and suicide

Background
The popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Europe has been high for decades. We aimed to assess whether a country’s performance in the ESC is associated with life satisfaction and suicide mortality in European countries.

Methods
We analysed nationally representative Eurobarometer survey data on life satisfaction from 33 European countries (N = 162,773) and country-level standardised suicide mortality data for years 2009 to 2015. The associations of winning the Contest, performing terribly, and higher final ranking with life satisfaction and suicide rates were all assessed.

Results
Winning the ESC was not statistically significantly associated with increased life satisfaction or suicide rates, although every ten-place increase in final ranking was associated with an increase in life satisfaction (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 to 1.05) and a decrease in suicide mortality rates (β = − 0.30; 95% CI: -0.59 to − 0.01). Terrible performance was associated with greater life satisfaction compared to not competing at all (aOR 1.13; 95%CI: 1.07 to 1.20).

Conclusion
The good news for participating countries is that just competing at the ESC is associated with higher life satisfaction among the population. As improved performance is linked to Ooh Aah Just a Little Bit of improved life satisfaction, further research into how such international competitions may impact public health is needed.

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