Today is the
International Day of Happiness
, launched last year by the United Nations to promote subjective well-being as a legitimate goal of public policy and social progress.
That's a goal we share at the UC Berkeley Greater Good Science Center, and through the years we've covered happiness research from every conceivable angle. Here are some highlights — the most interesting, provocative, or helpful pieces we've published on the science of happiness.
What is happiness anyway?
Many scientists use happiness interchangeably with “subjective well-being,” which they measure by simply asking people to report how satisfied they feel with their own lives and how much positive and negative emotion they’re experiencing. UC Riverside researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky describes happiness more precisely as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.”
What is Happiness?
by Sonja Lyubomirsky (video)
Is a Happy Life Different from a Meaningful One?
by Jason Marsh and Jill Suttie
Sonja Lyubomirsky on the Myths of Happiness
(podcast)
The Neuroscience of Happiness: A Q&A with Rick Hanson
What are the benefits of happiness?
In addition to making us feel good, studies have found that
happiness actually improves other aspects of our lives
, as well as the lives of the people around us.
The Benefits of Happiness
by Sonja Lyubomirsky (video)
Is Happiness Good for Your Health?
by Caroline Wilmuth
Kindness Makes You Happy… and Happiness Makes You Kind,
by Alex Dixon
Need a Kidney? Go to a Happy State
by Craig L Anderson
Are Positive Emotions Good for Your Heart?
by Adam Hoffman
Can you cultivate happiness?
Happiness doesn't just happen. Based on her research, Lyubomirsky has concluded that roughly 50 percent of happiness is determined by our genes and 10 percent by our life circumstance, but 40 percent depends on our daily activities. Here are steps you can take to boost your happiness
.
The Hows of Happiness,
by Jason Marsh
How to be Happy: The Fine Print
by Stacey Kennelly
What are the Secrets to a Happy Life?
by George E. Vaillant
Happiness for a Lifetime,
by Sonja Lyubomirsky
How a Challenging Past Can Lead to a Happier Present
by Linda Graham
Where Can We Find Sustainable Happiness?
by Sarah van Gelder
A Scientific Reason to Stop and Smell the Roses,
by Stacey Kennelly
Why Lent Makes People Happy (and Netflix Doesn’t),
by Jason Marsh and Robb Willer
Download our "
6 Habits of Happiness
” poster.
Fostering happiness at home and in the world
Can you help the people around you become happier? You bet! Here are some insights and ideas.
Being Kind Makes Kids Happy
by Delia Fuhrmann
A Happy Marriage in 21 Minutes
by Bernie Wong
What Makes a Happy Parent?
by Emily Nauman
How to be a Happy Working Dad,
by Jeremy Adam Smith
Can We Find Happiness at Work? A Q&A with Srikumar Rao
(podcast)
Green Cities, Happy Cities
by Heather Yundt
Happiness is About Respect, Not Riches
by Stacey Kennelly
The Economics of Happiness
by John Robbins
What Movies Make You Happy?
by Jeremy Adam Smith
What are the problems with happiness?
Happiness isn't all flowers and sunshine. Research suggests that it's possible to be
too
happy or to embrace false beliefs about what will make you happy. There are many forces that can undermine happiness, no matter what steps you take to cultivate it within yourself.
Four Ways Happiness Can Hurt You
by June Gruber
The Genetics of Happiness
by Stacey Kennelly
Are Conservatives Really Happier Than Liberals?
by Tom Jacobs
Do Wives Bear More Responsibility for Marital Happiness?
by Lian Bloch
Does Mind-Wandering Make You Unhappy?
by Matt Killingsworth
Is Happiness Actually Important?
by Christine Carter
Why Happiness is the Wrong Pursuit
by Christine Carter
When Getting Angry Makes You Happy
by Lauren Klein
Is Happiness Selfish?
by Rona Renner and Christine Carter (podcast)
Does Inequality Make Us Unhappy?
by Carmen Sobczak
Does Money Bring Happiness?
by Sonja Lyubomirsky (video)