The psychology of happiness – Prathosh Ramanakanthan,Hampton school

Happiness essentially portrays an increased enjoyment of life in that moment, which is already beneficial. However, beyond the obvious feeling of satisfaction, there are further advantages of increased happiness. One study shows that a person who is happier has a higher chance of achieving success. Additionally, a separate study showcased that positivity could inspire more creativity when compared to negativity.

With the positive effect of happiness being subjective and relative to an individual, it is difficult to quantify what is simply just an emotion. A popular measurement of it, is the Cantril Ladder, which essentially functions as a scale from 1-10, 1 being the worst life imaginable, and 10 being the perfect optimal life.

A vast majority of people would almost guarantee that possessing more wealth would lead them higher up the scale, however this is not always the case. Richard Easterlin, a professor of economics, noticed a strange paradox involving money and happiness. In theory, it was thought that people in more developed countries should be happier than those of less prosperous nations. However, he noted that rich people tend to be happier than poorer people within their respective countries, regardless of how rich or poor the average person in that country was. These findings are known as the Easterlin paradox and shows happiness may be less linked with actual material values, and rather with perception and gratitude. A 2010 study looking at this relationship by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton shows that people’s happiness does in fact increase with their income, until around $75,000 at which point it plateaus. This could show that once a certain threshold has been reached, in which you can live stress free and comfortably, money does not impact happiness. Overall, it could be argued that money alone will not improve your happiness.

However, what exactly can be done to improve happiness within your own life. One of the most influential theories of happiness is the hedonic treadmill. This suggests that people have a baseline level of happiness, that they return to after certain circumstances of temporary joy or melancholy. This means that even positive events such as winning the lottery or getting a promotion, that everyone desires, only provides a temporary feeling of happiness before returning to this baseline. It is also thought that this baseline can be increased through certain practices such as gratitude, mindfulness, and positive thinking. Other researchers found these same practices can increase our overall level of happiness by shifting our focus away from negative thoughts, cultivating a positive mindset, and concentrating more on things that already make you happy. Another important factor in increasing pleasure or joy is social connections. Likely due to our evolutionary history, humans are social creatures and studies have shown that positive relationships are strongly linked to well-being. Engaging in meaningful social interactions can provide a huge boost to our well- being.

In conclusion, the psychology of happiness is a complex yet intriguing field of study, that is still being heavily researched. As our understanding of it continues to evolve, it’s becoming more clear that its not affected by external factors but rather internal factors such as your perspective of the world. By prioritising these factors, we can slowly improve ourselves and find more satisfaction. The pursuit of happiness is a personal journey that leads one to loving happier, more fulfilling lives.