An attempt to classify satisfaction changes: Methodological and content aspects of a longitudinal problem

Panel evaluations frequently show that subjective data are characterized by a high variability over time, with correspondingly heterogeneous patterns of transition. In this paper an attempt is made, by applying a simple Markov model, to classify the courses of individual satisfaction changes and describe the content of their process character. The results suggest that major leaps in satisfaction can be traced back to objective external changes in living conditions. External factors of influence controlled, the subjective indicator slightly varies; a result that corroborates the expected relationship between objective life situations and their subjective assessment, as well as the reliability of the measure applied.