Overthelast70yearsresearchershavebeenstudyinghappyandunhappypeopleandfinallyfoundouttenfactorsthatmakeadifference.Ourfeelingsofwell-beingatanymomentaredeterminedtoacertaindegreebygenes.Howevero
Overthelast70yearsresearchershavebeenstudyinghappyandunhappypeopleandfinallyfoundouttenfactorsthatmakeadifference.Ourfeelingsofwell-beingatanymomentaredeterminedtoacertaindegreebygenes.Howeverofallthefactorswealthandagearethetoptwo.
Moneycanbuyadegreeofhappiness.Butonceyoucanaffordtofeedclotheandhouseyourselfeachextradollarmakeslessandlessdifference.
Researchersfindthatonaveragewealthierpeoplearehappier.Butthelinkbetweenmoneyandhappinessiscomplex.Inthepasthalf-centuryaverageincomehassharplyincreasedindevelopedcountriesyethappinesslevelshaveremainedalmostthesame.Onceyourbasicneedsaremetmoneyonlyseemstoincreasehappinessifyouhavemorethanyourfriendsneighborsandcolleagues.
“Dollarsbuystatusandstatusmakespeoplefeelbetter”concludesomeexpertswhichhelpsexplainwhypeoplewhocanseekstatusinotherways-scientistsoractorsforexample-mayhappilyacceptrelativelypoorly-paidjobs.
InaresearchProfessorAlexMichalosfoundthatthepeoplewhosedesires-notjustformoneybutforfriendsfamilyjobhealth-rosefurthestbeyondwhattheyalreadyhadtendedtobelesshappythanthosewhofeltasmallergap(差距)。Indeedthesizeofthegappredictedhappinessaboutfivetimesbetterthanincomealone.“Thegapmeasuresjustblowawaytheonlymeasuresofincome.”saysMichalos.
Anotherfactorthathastodowithhappinessisage.Oldagemaynotbesobad“Givenalltheproblemsofaginghowcouldtheelderlybemoresatisfied?”asksProfessorLauraCarstensen.
InonesurveyCarstenseninterviewed184peoplebetweentheagesof18and94andaskedthemtofilloutanemotionsquestionnaire.ShefoundthatoldpeoplereportedpositiveemotionsjustasoftenasyoungpeopleSomescientistssuggestolderpeoplemayexpectlifetobeharderandlearntolivewithitorthey’remorerealisticabouttheirtimerunningoutolderpeoplehavelearnedtofocusonthingsthatmakethemhappyandletgoofthosethatdon’t.
“Peoplerealizenotonlywhattheyhavebutalsothatwhattheyhavecannotlastforever”shesays.“Agoodbyekisstoahusbandorwifeattheageof85forexamplemaybringfarmorecomplexemotionalresponsesthanasimilarkisstoabo