Happiness

Question 1

What are the two ways researchers measure happiness?

Answer 1

1) Positive affect = how happy do you feel in the moment.

2) Life satisfaction = an integrative, evaluative assessment of one’s life as a whole.

Question 2

Does happiness level off after you start making over $75,000?

Answer 2

No! That study was old and didnt cover all the bases (only one measure of happiness, measured once, and not a lot of high earners were surveyed)

Question 3

How should people spend money in order to maximize happiness? Why?

Answer 3

Spend on experiences, not things! Because…

• experiences are resistant to hedonistic adaptation
• can also enjoy both anticipated and remembered (3 in 1!)

Buy many small pleasures rather than a few big ones

• once agian because hedonistic adaptation messes with those big purchases
• the psychological value is a logarithmic curve (diminishing returns), therefore more spend != same gain in happy (better happy bang for your buck with smaller things)

Spend on others!

• get a sense of impact
• promotes a social connection (relationship make people happy)

Question 4

How do money and time relate? How does this relate to happiness?

Answer 4

= making more money often means having less free time

Found that prioritizing having more time over having more money –> why? because end up pursuing intrinsically motivated things (what YOU want) rather than extrinsically (what others think you should do)

However, buying time increases happiness! (ex: outsourcing cleaning, etc.) - but people often feel guilty with this lol

Question 5

What boosts happiness at work?

Answer 5

• autonomy
• competence (being good at it and able to improve skills)
• relatedness (feel conntected)

= self determination theory fundamental needs! ^

Question 6

How to be happier with decision making?

Answer 6

Choosing something that works rather than trying really hard to find the best oprion always (satisficer vs maximizer –> satisficers are happier)

Question 7

How does social media impact happiness?

Answer 7

End up comparing self to other’s highlight reel (‘comparison is the thief of joy’)

Question 8

What is gratitude’s relation to happiness?

Answer 8

• writing about things you’re grateful for increases happiness
• thank you notes to other people also boosts happiness for the writer and recipient
• Re-framing (ex: “have to” to “get to…”)
• Narcissism, cynicism, and materialism decrease gratitude (negative traits)

Question 9

How is happiness impacted by other people!

Answer 9

• happy people have stronger social relationships already
• more time spent with others correlates with happiness
• extroverts usually happier than introverts - just acting more extraverted can increase happiness BUT also makes introverts feel less authentic and more tired
• introverts happier with socializing more though especially when deeper convos
• interacting with strangers even makes you happier

Question 10

How do happiness and collectivism relate?

Answer 10

Same thing as happiness caused by other people: collectivist ountries place value on relationships, so people in those countries use socializing as a means to increase happiness!

Question 11

How is happiness from people undermined by cellphones?

Answer 11

• phones distract from meaningful in oerson connections
• even having phones on table vs in bags at dinner/events is distracting and negatively impacts socializing
• having phone decreases likelihood to interact with strangers

*but still helps increase happiness by easing connectivity and making interactions frequent