The Science of Happiness – An Experiment in Gratitude

The Science of Happiness – An Experiment in Gratitude

Psychologists have scientifically proven that one of the greatest contributing factors to overall happiness in your life is how much gratitude you show. In this experiment put on by Soul Pancake, subjects who wrote a letter of gratitude, thinking of someone that influenced them the most, saw a rise in happiness of 2-4%. However, for subjects who picked up the phone and personally expressed their gratitude to the person that influenced them the most in their life, there were happiness increases of 4-19%, showing that expressing your gratitude will make you a happier person. This happiness experiment in gratitude is based on the following study: Martin E. P. Seligman, Tracy A. Steen & Christopher Peterson, “Positive Psychology Progress: Empirical Validation of...
Who Else Wants Long Lasting Happiness, to Use Any Dissatisfaction Optimally for the Best Change, and to Know How to Use What Most Affects Happiness?

Who Else Wants Long Lasting Happiness, to Use Any Dissatisfaction Optimally for the Best Change, and to Know How to Use What Most Affects Happiness?

What Does Lasting Happiness Depend On? Neither Rising Prosperity nor Severe Misfortune Permanently Affect Happiness Research implies that neither rising prosperity nor severe misfortune permanently affect happiness. After a period of adjustment, individuals return to their baseline levels of well-being, leaving humanity on a ‘‘hedonic treadmill’’ (Brickman & Campbell, 1981; Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999; Kahneman, Krueger, Schkade, Schwartz, & Stone, 2004). Similarly, as entire countries become richer, relative gains and losses neutralize each other across populations, bringing no overall increase in the happiness of their citizens (Easterlin, 1974; Kenny, 2004).   Neither Individual Efforts nor Social Policy Can Bring Lasting Changes in Happiness Insofar as this set point is biologically determined, neither individual efforts nor social policy can bring lasting changes in happiness.   Happiness Depends on Popularly Accepted Social Norms Another explanation for the apparent stability of the aggregate happiness of nations is social comparison theory (Easterlin, 1974, 2003). According to this account, happiness stays the same in the face of rising income because of a shift in reference. If happiness is shaped by one’s relative position in a society, then even if a nation’s overall economy grows, only those with above-average gains will experience rising happiness, and these increases will be offset by decreases among those with below-average gains. –Ronald Inglehart, Roberto Foa, Christopher Peterson, and Christian Welzel,  “Development, Freedom, and Rising Happiness A Global Perspective” (1981–2007).     The Functions of Happiness and Dissatisfaction Happiness Is Functional and Generally Leads to Success Recent research indicates that happiness is functional and generally leads to success.   All Organisms are Motivated to Approach Things that Bring...
One Big Reason To Place New Emphasis On Your Connection With Others: Happiness Is Contagious

One Big Reason To Place New Emphasis On Your Connection With Others: Happiness Is Contagious

… when a person becomes happy, next door neighbors have a 34% increased chance of becoming happy. A friend living within one mile? A 25% increased chance. Siblings? 14%. And a spouse? An 8% chance.” – ABC, Good Morning America (citing research by Professor’s James Fowler and Nicholas Christakis, which they write about in their book, Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives)  We studied a full social network and found that happiness spreads through it like a contagion. And so we really do think that happiness is contagious.” – James Fowler Image: “what happiness looks like” by AJC1 on...
5 Things To Do Everyday To Be Happier

5 Things To Do Everyday To Be Happier

You can do an experiment where you give two groups of people a hundred dollars in the morning. You tell one of them to spend it on themselves, and one on other people. You measure their happiness at the end of the day. Those who spent on other people are much happier than those who spent it on themselves.” — Nic Marks Founder of the Center for Well-Being, an independent think tank at the New Economics Foundation, in London, Marks is particularly keen to promote a balance between sustainable development and quality of life. To investigate this, he devised the Happy Planet Index, a global index of human well-being and environmental impact. The results made headlines: People in the world’s wealthiest countries, who consume the most of the planet’s resources, don’t come out on top in terms of well-being. Which raises the question: What purpose does unfettered economic growth serve? 5 Things To Do Everyday To Be Happier According to Marks’ analysis of well being and happiness, what are the 5 things you should do every day to be happier? 1. Connect Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbors. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. 2. Be Active… Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness. 3....