![]() (Research does show that wealthier people are happier than poorer people - but not by a ton.) There's a misconception that happiness is built in and that we can't change it. "The science shows that our circumstances - how rich we are, what job we have, what material possessions we own - these things matter less for happiness than we think," Santos says. Though this breakdown has faced criticism (that it's too simple, and doesn't take into account how your genes and environment interact), it taps into an idea that's fairly widely accepted: At least some of your happiness is within your control. At the time, researchers suggested that while 50% of your happiness is determined by your genes and 10% by your life circumstances, 40% is determined by your daily activities. ![]() One popular theory that suggests we can affect our feelings is the happiness pie chart, proposed in a 2005 paper (PDF) published in the Review of General Psychology. "There's a misconception that happiness is built-in and that we can't change it," says Laurie Santos, a professor of psychology at Yale University who teaches a free Coursera class called The Science of Well-Being. How does this work? Can you really change how happy you are that easily?Īccording to the research, yes. It could've been from doing the activities, the students' new understanding of the psychology of happiness, or something totally different. And that boost remained even four months after the course ended, though it's difficult to fully untangle that result. During the course, students' happiness and life satisfaction increased by about 5%. They reported feeling less sadness, stress, loneliness, anger and fear, while at the same time experiencing more amusement, enthusiasm and affection, as well as a greater sense of community. Those who fully participated saw their positive feelings increase each week. ![]() Perhaps more importantly, they also completed a series of simple activities that research suggests increase happiness. Thousands of students took the Science of Happiness course (which is still free to audit on edX, a provider of open online courses) and learned about the science of connection, compassion, gratitude and mindfulness. In 2014, psychologists at the University of California launched a course with one goal: Help students become happier in eight weeks. This story is part of Tech for a Better World, stories about the diverse teams creating products, apps and services to improve our lives and society. ![]()
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