Integrative Look at Happiness 3.3

Are rich people happier? Psychological research has not shown this Lyubomirsky (2001) ▫Inborn set-point- 50% of happiness ▫10 % due to circumstances ▫40% influenced by individual

Historical Background Bentham ( ) ▫Happiness is the sum of the positive emotions minus the sum of the negative emotions  Pleasure and the absence of pain Menger ( ) ▫How do economic choices reflect happiness? Keynes ( ) ▫Economist- focused on material wealth and welfare systems as measures of happiness

Ideas It is possible to measure an individuals experience of happiness? Happiness is not a concrete state of mind it is culturally constructed (Eric Weiner: journalist )

Cognitive Factors Social comparison theory (Festinger) ▫People compare themselves to others ▫Happiness comes from having more than others ▫“keep up with the Joneses” Level of Aspiration Theory (Rotter) ▫People link happiness to reaching certain goals ▫But happiness is fleeting once goal is reached

Wealth does not give happiness Myers and Dieners (1995) ▫Analysed income and happiness present ▫No direct link between increase in wealth and happiness Hagerty (2003) ▫Compared US to 7 different countries ▫Happiness positively correlated to societal distribution of wealth

Happiness Is not connected to upward comparison Is not linked to a specific goal ▫“I will be happy once I get the Ferrari” Media and advertising link happiness to buying power Size of salary does not matter as long as the person is happy with it and it is enough to provide for the family (Johnson and Kruger, 2006)

Dilemma- things that make you go hmmmm People have a strong belief that there is a positive relationship between money and happiness but this is not supported by psychological research

Sociocultural Factors Dalai Lama ▫Key to happiness is in our own hands ▫Achieved through training the mind and heart and reshaping attitudes and outlooks ▫As long as basic needs are meet  Happiness is a state of mind  Not achieved by external conditions

Dalai Lama- Money is not the road to happiness Happiness is achieved through ▫Compassion for others ▫Feeing responsible for others ▫Acceptance that all humans have an innate desire to be happy and avoid suffering ▫Empathy for others (gain understanding) ▫Trusting and enjoying others company

Bhutan: gross national happiness ▫Bhutan is poor but people are happy ▫Governmental Department of Happiness umbrella’s all other departments ▫Pursuit of wisdom is encouraged  Free time for contemplation is okay ▫Knowing your limitations; knowing how much is enough

Denmark Christensen, Herskind and Vaupel (2006) ▫Danes are the happiest people in the world ▫2/3 “very satisfied” with lives ▫Not because of climate ▫High level of income equality ▫Do not have high expectations about the future  Population has low realistic expectations

Map of World Happiness

Biological Factors in Happiness Evolutionary Psychologists Adaptation ▫Habituation- get use to the way things are  Adapt to negative factors, noise, disability  Inherit the ability to notice trouble (survival)  focus on the things that need to change  Take for granted the positive things ▫Inner voice of dissatisfaction  Prompts us to strive for more

Genetics David Lykken (1996) ▫Happiness Twin Study  Compared identical and fraternal twins separated at birth  Identical twins very similar in scores of happiness independent of being reared together or apart  Fraternal twins are not the same at all  50% of the differences in people’s happiness is genetically based  10% based on situation (money, health)

Characteristics of Happy People Lyubomirsky (2007) ▫Devote time to family and friends ▫Express gratitude easily ▫Offer help to people that need it ▫Optimistic outlook on the future ▫Enjoy the pleasures of life and live in the present ▫Exercise ▫Committed to lifelong goals and ambitions (fighting fraud, environmental issues, clean water) ▫Cope well in times of crisis

Assignment In pairs research and present either on ▫How does your culture define happiness? ▫Do you think people in your culture are happy? ▫How does your culture compare to the studies of Bhutan and Denmark populations? Or ▫Research psychologist such as Sonja Luybomirsky “The How of Happiness” and present on specific changes that research suggests will increase one’s personal happiness