Articles tagged with Happiness
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Dogs use different parts of their brains to process negative and positive emotions cued by human facial expressions. They show increased heart rate and stress when exposed to angry or fearful faces, but not surprised ones.
A study found that maternal depressive mood during pregnancy and postpartum is associated with child sleep disturbances. Increased happiness during pregnancy was found to be protective against child sleep problems.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia investigated how human participants recognize and detect six basic emotions in facial expressions when viewed centrally and up to 30 degrees in peripheral vision. They found that fear is well-detected but poorly recognized, while happiness and surprise are both recognized and detected well.
Research published in Psychological Science found that individuals who engaged in socially-focused strategies experienced increased life satisfaction, whereas those with nonsocial strategies showed no change. Time spent socializing with family, friends, and neighbors was particularly linked to improved well-being.
Researchers from UNIGE found that six-month-old babies can differentiate between happiness and anger based on voices and facial expressions. The study, published in PLOS ONE, shows that babies look longer at an angry face with a happy voice than at a neutral face or one expressing anger.
A systematic review of 23 studies on happiness and physical activity found a positive association between exercise and happiness. Regular physical activity is essential for happiness, and even small changes can make a difference.
The report ranks Canada as the seventh happiest country in the world, with immigrants reporting higher life evaluations compared to locals. The countries with the happiest immigrants have balanced social and institutional supports, such as Canada which ranked fourth most accepting for migrants.
A new study reveals that economic growth in developed countries may not improve human happiness, but rather erodes free goods and creates social problems. The Negative Endogenous Growth Model suggests that economic systems can produce wealth from the erosion of free goods, leading to unhappiness and excessive consumption.
A study published in Psychonomic Bulletin & Review found that people who pursue happiness often feel like they do not have enough time, which paradoxically makes them feel unhappy. This effect is due to the pursuit of happiness causing participants to think of time as scarce.
A new study found that couples do poorly at picking up on each other's soft negative emotions like sadness or loneliness. Couples need to be more attuned to their partner's feelings and communicate more effectively to avoid negatively affecting the relationship.
A University of Texas at Dallas psychologist found that children aged 4.5-9 years prefer chocolate over goldfish crackers in response to both happiness and sadness. The study suggests that emotional eating habits develop during the preschool period, influenced by social environment and parental feeding practices.
Researchers found that self-defeating humour is associated with greater levels of psychological well-being, particularly in terms of happiness and sociability. The study challenges previous research suggesting negative effects of self-defeating humour.
A new study reveals that cruise vacations offer benefits beyond just fun, with emotional and relational experiences contributing to short-term happiness. Long-term happiness is linked to thinking experiences, including exploring new cultures, practicing introspection, and broadening horizons.
A new study by SDSU professor Jean M. Twenge found that more screen time is associated with lower happiness in youths, with teens who spend more time on screens being markedly unhappier than those who engage in non-screen activities.
Research from the British Household Panel Survey shows married couples have a higher sense of well-being than singles. Those who consider their spouse as their best friend experience the largest benefits, suggesting a lifelong positive effect on happiness.
Research suggests that wealth is associated with increased self-focused emotions and decreased interdependence. Lower-income individuals report more positive emotions focused on others and a stronger sense of connection.
Research suggests that Chinese storybooks stress purpose, respect for others, humility, and enduring hardship, which aligns with the lessons taught in Chinese schools. In contrast, US storybooks emphasize happiness, self-esteem, and overcoming obstacles, which may not contribute to scholastic success.
Researchers at George Mason University and the University of South Carolina found that heterosexual-discordant women are less happy about their births due to relationship pressures and societal expectations. The study highlights a gap in understanding birth happiness among sexual minority women, particularly those who prefer women.
A happy working mom is one who feels competent and has a warm relationship with her child. Her sense of well-being depends on meeting her own psychological needs, rather than her baby's temperament. Mothers should prioritize their daily needs to interact with their children in a more sensitive and positive way.
A recent study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that taking a moment to notice nature can increase general happiness and well-being. Researchers asked participants to document how nature they encountered made them feel, with positive effects observed even in urban environments.
A study found that university students consistently believe their peers have more friends than they do, affecting their happiness. This misperception can be corrected through interventions to promote friendship formation, supporting students' transition to university life.
A University of Liverpool study found that dog walking motivates owners to do so due to feelings of happiness and well-being. Owners' motivations are contingent on their dog's enjoyment during the walk.
A new study found that partners who have low power in their relationships are stuck with their partner's preferred brands, leading to a death-by-a-thousand-cuts feeling and decreased happiness. The researchers used brand preferences in various products to study individuals and couples over two years.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that people with supportive spouses are more likely to take on potentially rewarding challenges, leading to personal growth and happiness. Those who experienced a supportive relationship had better psychological well-being and relationship functioning months later.
Research at the University of British Columbia and Harvard Business School found that spending money on time-saving purchases leads to greater life satisfaction. The study surveyed over 6,000 adults across four countries and controlled for income, revealing that buying time has similar benefits as having more money.
The Well-Being Map is an interactive tool that uses over 37 billion publicly shared tweets to analyze and display scores for various characteristics in every US county. It provides valuable insights into community traits such as well-being, personality, government-reported health, and socioeconomic factors.
A recent study by Indiana University found that people with the most connections on social media are also happier, but this does not translate to their own happiness. The study revealed that a majority of social media users have fewer friends on average than their friends and are less happy as well.
A new study by Michigan State University scholar William Chopik found that friendships become increasingly important to one's happiness and health across the lifespan. In older adults, friendships are actually a stronger predictor of health and happiness than relationships with family members.
A new study shows that preschool kids who share their own accord are happier than those who are obliged to do so. When given stickers, children aged 3-5 years old exhibited greater happiness when sharing voluntarily rather than being forced to do so.
A mock randomized control trial across three countries found that eating red Smarties had no effect on participants' levels of happiness. This study debunks the common assumption that red is associated with feelings of happiness and demonstrates how complex scientific concepts can be made engaging through hands-on learning.
A comparative cross-cultural study found that Russians tend to express happiness openly with friends but hide it when interacting with strangers or government officials. Unlike Americans, who hold back positive emotions only when facing issues, Russians view happiness expression as a normal behavior.
Caltech researchers discovered that the amygdala has distinct neurons that judge the intensity and ambiguity of facial expressions, providing insights into autism and anxiety. The study found two groups of neurons: one for detecting emotion intensity and another for coding emotional ambiguity.
New research from the University of East Anglia suggests that dealing with emotional exhaustion can sometimes boost happiness. The study found that perceived supervisor support and instrumental social support enhance happiness when employees engage in planning activities. This may help individuals build happiness from an internally str...
A study published in Neurobiology of Sleep and Circadian Rhythms found that sleep-deprived individuals struggle to recognize subtle facial expressions of happiness and sadness. However, their ability to identify more primitive emotions like fear and anger remains intact.
Canada dropped from sixth to seventh place in the 2017 World Happiness Report, but still ranked highly on key factors such as real GDP per capita and healthy life expectancy. The report highlights Canada's success in multiculturalism and integration, which helped build social trust and decrease economic and social segregation.
According to the study, Americans had sex about nine fewer times per year in 2010-2014 compared to 1995-1999. The decline is attributed to birth cohort, with later-born generations having sex less often than those born earlier.
Research shows that people who focus on finding the best option (maximizers) may experience frustration and regret when re-evaluating their choices. Maximizing can lead to depression, lower life satisfaction, and procrastination. On the other hand, a strategic approach to decision-making can lead to satisfying outcomes.
A new emoticon-style questionnaire, developed by University of Exeter experts, helps teachers and others assess children's happiness levels as young as four. The questionnaire has been shown to be effective in engaging children on their wellbeing and happiness levels, with an average score around 11 or 12.
Researchers find a positive correlation between belief in free will and happiness among Chinese teenagers, contrasting with previous Western studies. The study suggests that believing in free will may lead to increased perceived autonomy, self-control, and deliberate effort to achieve goals, ultimately contributing to happiness.
Researchers found that people feel more gratitude for experiential purchases than material ones, leading to increased generosity. Experiences trigger fewer social comparisons, fostering a greater appreciation of one's own circumstances.
A study from Purdue University found that carrying student loan debt is almost as important as income in predicting financial worry and life satisfaction. The research highlights the burden of debt on one's life for the long term.
A Baylor University study found that spending quality time together in familiar activities inside the home is a better predictor of happiness for families. The research involved 1,502 individuals in 884 families in the UK and suggested that all family leisure is not equal, with some activities being more effective than others.
A study of over 28,000 people reveals that individuals consistently follow a hedonic flexibility principle, engaging in mood-increasing activities when feeling bad and useful activities when feeling good. This finding clarifies how emotions shape behavior and explains the trade-offs humans make for long-term happiness.
A study of over 12,000 Australians found that each extra daily portion of fruit and vegetables up to 8 portions per day increased life satisfaction. The researchers concluded that people who changed their diet experienced an increase in life satisfaction equivalent to moving from unemployment to employment.
A new study by University of California, Berkeley economist Timothy Brown estimates that each dollar spent on public health programs returns $67 to $88 in improved health outcomes. This far exceeds the return on investment for selected aspects of medical care, which ranged from $1.10 to $4.80 per dollar spent.
A new equation has been developed to predict happiness based on an individual's own experiences and the fortunes of those around them. The study found that people are less happy if others get more or less than them, but this varies from person to person.
Research at University of Kent found that drinking alcohol makes people happier in the short term, but does not increase overall life satisfaction. The study used iPhone-based app and traditional cohort study to analyze relationships between drinking habits and happiness.
A computational model suggests that focusing on longer-term happiness and being less envious of others can lead to increased evolutionary fitness. Researchers found that agents with positive outlooks were more successful in simulations, even when food was scarce or abundant.
A study published in PLOS One found that people's feelings of long-term happiness and satisfaction with their lives remained steady over time, unaffected by external events. The researchers grouped Twitter users into satisfied and dissatisfied groups, finding differences in language use, activity patterns, and psychological processes.
A large-scale international study has identified three genetic variants associated with happiness and two variants linked to depression. The findings provide new insights into the genetic basis of neuroticism and the interplay between nature and nurture in shaping human happiness.
A new study examines nearly 77,000 UK bank spending transactions and reveals that individuals who spend more money on products matching their personality traits report greater life satisfaction. This effect is stronger than the relationship between total income or total spending and life satisfaction.
A new study of over 18,000 adults found that most people's happiness is not affected by changes in income, but those who experience an income loss are more likely to feel unhappy. The research suggests that financial stability, rather than continual income growth, is key to achieving happiness and well-being.
Researchers found that human brains recognize emotions through vocalizations just one-tenth of a second faster than speech, with anger signals producing longer brain activity. Anxious individuals exhibit a faster response to emotional voices compared to less anxious participants.
A study found that nations with higher prevalence of the A allele in the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) gene variant are also reported as happier. This allele helps prevent pain and enhances sensory pleasure. Climate, economics, and politics did not significantly influence happiness levels.
A new longitudinal study by University of Alberta researchers contradicts the 'mid-life crisis' theory, showing happiness rises between the teens and early 40s. The study found that people are happier in their mid-40s than they were at age 18.
New research published by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology found an almost even split between people who value their time or money, with prioritizing time associated with greater happiness. The study, which included over 4,600 participants, also found that older people were more likely to prioritize their time.
A recent study shows that material purchases provide repeated doses of happiness over time, whereas experiential purchases offer a more intense but fleeting experience. Researchers found that people felt more satisfaction with experiential purchases six weeks after Christmas.
A recent study by University of Notre Dame researchers finds that people in states relying heavily on ballot initiatives are happier than those in other states. This 'happiness benefit' is particularly pronounced among lower- and middle-income individuals, who often lack representation in conventional policymaking processes.
A large UK study of one million women found no association between unhappiness and increased mortality. Life-threatening poor health can cause unhappiness, but unhappiness itself is not directly linked to illness or death.
The study found that overall happiness is a combination of happy emotions and life satisfaction, linked to the precuneus region in the brain. Individuals with higher grey matter mass in this area tend to experience more intense happiness and find meaning in life.