Andrew Kohut

ANDREW KOHUT

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Responses

Andrew Kohut is the current president of Pew Research Center in Washington, DC. He is also director of two of Pew's seven sub-projects: the Pew Global Attitudes Project and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press (formerly the Times Mirror Center for the People & the Press), where he previously served as founding director of surveys from 1990-92. From 1979-1989, Kohut was president of the Gallup Organization, and in 1989 he founded Princeton Survey Research Associates, an attitude and opinion research firm specializing in media, politics and public policy. Kohut is a regular guest on National Public Radio and television news programs such as the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, where he presents Pew's poll results and analysis. His essays have appeared in the op-ed section of the New York Times and he has been a regular columnist for the Columbia Journalism Review and AOL News. Kohut is the co-author of four books, most recently America Against the World. In 2000, he won the New York Chapter Award for Outstanding Contribution to Opinion Research from the American Association of Public Opinion Research , and in 2005 he was awarded that organization's Research Award for Exceptionally Distinguished Achievement, its highest honor. Kohut received an AB degree from Seton Hall University in 1964 and studied graduate sociology at Rutgers State University from 1964-66.

Ideas recorded on: 9/14/07

Interests

Most Recent Idea

Love & Happiness

Re: Who are the happiest people in the world?

12/27/2007

Description: The rich are always more satisfied with life, Kohut says.

Transcript:

Rich people. Rich people are always happier than poor people. I mean anyone who says that money can’t buy happiness hasn’t read not only our polls, but polls over the years. In rich countries . . . In . . . In . . . In rich countries, it’s the rich people who are happier than the poor people. And when you do a global survey, it’s the richer countries where people express the most satisfaction and happiness with their lives. I mean there’s some exceptions to this. One of the things that our polls have shown recently is that over the past five years, as . . . as many countries . . . middle . . . let’s say middle income and poorer countries have gotten richer, the people have gotten happier. More people say they’re contented with their lives. They’re achieving their objectives. Their incomes are good. You can’t underestimate income and also good family relationships and health . . . good health, and you know the basics.

Recorded On: 9/14/07