Onesheet Traditional Measures of Human Wellbeing

Traditional Measures of Human Wellbeing
Key Definitions
Term Definition
Human The quality of life of a population.
Wellbeing
Quality of life Refers to “life satisfaction”. It includes everything from satisfying
needs, such as nutrition, safe drinking water and shelter, and access
to other aspects of life quality – education, employment, income and
even individual freedom and human rights.
Singular Uses ONE method to measure ONE aspect of quality of life.
Indicator
Composite Made up of multiple methods and can measure multiple aspects of
Indicator quality of life.
Quantitative Essentially a quantitative indicator is a numerical measure of
Indicator something that can be counted or quantified, and which can then be
used to draw comparison.
Qualitative It is an indicator that can be used as a basis for comparison between
Indicator places or things that can not be easily measured or quantified such
as freedom or happiness.
Practice Question: Which indicator type/s are most effective in measuring human
wellbeing? Justify your response.
Traditional Measure 1: Life Expectancy
Term Definition
Life The average period that a person may expect to live.
Expectancy
Practice Question: How does life expectancy vary at a global scale?
Regions of High Life Regions of Low Life Expectancy

Expectancy
Data Points:
Reasons to
support
these trends
Practice Question: Assess the effectiveness of life expectancy as a measure of

human wellbeing.
Advantages Disadvantages
 High life expectancy reflects the  Does not accurately demonstrate
standard of healthcare services in the the quality of life relating to the
country individual – e.g. China has high life
 Life expectancy has direct expectancy but little political freedom
correlations between health and
wealth  Does not take into
 Life expectancy can be easily account inequalities within countries –
estimated at any age e.g. the gap in life expectancy between
Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians
Traditional Measure 2: Gross Domestic Product
What is Gross Domestic Product?
GDP measures the amount of goods and services produced by a country in a year. GDP
per capita is the GDP divided by the population.
Practice Question: How does Gross Domestic Product vary at a global scale?
Regions of High Gross Regions of Low Gross Domestic

Domestic Product Product
Data Points:
Reasons to
support
these trends
Practice Question: Assess the effectiveness of Gross Domestic Product as a measure

of human wellbeing.
Strengths of Indicator Limitations of Indicator
Shows Economic Wellbeing: It is a good Excludes Non-Market Activity:

indicator of the state of a countries economy Does not take into account the value
and highlights the average standard of living of informal economies e.g. the value of
the Dharavi informal economy in India
Quantifiable and Objective: Easy to Excludes inequality and relative
calculate and compare at a global scale poverty: Does not take into account
using official government figures the inequalities within countries e.g.
the income gap between rural and
urban China
Correlated with Development Excludes holistic approach to
Indicators: GDP often correlates with other Human Wellbeing: Does not
development indicators such as literacy accurately demonstrate the quality of
rates, life expectancy, and access to life relating to the individual – e.g. USA
healthcare, suggesting a general link has high income levels but ranks low in
between economic output and well-being. life satisfaction based indicators.
Traditional Measure 3: Human Development Index
What is the Human Development Index?
The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite measure used to measure a

country's overall achievement in its social and economic dimensions. It takes into
account the three dimensions of:
 Health – life expectancy at birth
 Education – average years of schooling of adults aged +25 and expected years of
schooling
 Wealth – Gross National Income per capita
How does the HDI vary at a global scale?
Regions of High HPI Regions of Low HPI
Data Points:
Reasons to
support
these trends
Assess the effectiveness of the HDI as a measure of Human Wellbeing:
Strengths of Indicator Limitations of Indicator
Composite Indicator with three equally Excludes inequality: Does not take
weighted dimensions - therefore there is no into account the inequalities within
over emphasis on economic wellbeing countries e.g. the income gap between
rural and urban China
Highlights a holistic image of Devalues the importance of qualitative
developments and shows clear distinction indicators such as culture and political
between developed and developing freedom
countries
Objective: Each indicator is quantitative
and universally recognised so data collection
is easy to access from official government
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Traditional Measures of Human Wellbeing

Traditional Measure 1: Life Expectancy

Practice Question: How does life expectancy vary at a global scale?

Regions of High Life Regions of Low Life Expectancy

Practice Question: Assess the effectiveness of life expectancy as a measure of

Traditional Measure 2: Gross Domestic Product

What is Gross Domestic Product?

Regions of High Gross Regions of Low Gross Domestic

Practice Question: Assess the effectiveness of Gross Domestic Product as a measure

Strengths of Indicator Limitations of Indicator

Shows Economic Wellbeing: It is a good Excludes Non-Market Activity:

What is the Human Development Index?

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite measure used to measure a

How does the HDI vary at a global scale?

Regions of High HPI Regions of Low HPI

Assess the effectiveness of the HDI as a measure of Human Wellbeing:

Strengths of Indicator Limitations of Indicator

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