Happiness

‘It’s up to you’: Experimentally manipulated autonomy support for prosocial behavior improves well-being in two cultures over six weeks

Previous research has demonstrated a strong link between prosocial behavior – particularly autonomous prosocial behavior – and well-being. Little is known, however, about whether and how autonomy might be boosted in the context of everyday kindnesses....

The effect of contact with natural environments on positive and negative affect: A meta-analysis

A growing body of empirical research suggests that brief contact with natural environments improves emotional wellbeing. The current study synthesizes this body of research using meta-analytic techniques and assesses the mean effect size of exposure to natural environments on both positive and negative affect....

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Unpacking grit: Motivational correlates of perseverance and passion for long-term goals

In two cross-sectional studies we explored the motivational orientations correlates of the character strength of grit and its two component facets: perseverance of effort and consistency of interests over time....

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The hidden cost of value-seeking: People do not accurately forecast the economic benefits of experiential purchases

In spite of the experiential advantage people consume material items in the pursuit of happiness. We conducted three studies to determine if people commit forecasting errors when deciding between purchasing life experiences and material items....

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Can third-party observers detect the emotional rewards of generous spending?

Can others detect the emotional consequences of our personal choices? Here we investigate whether third-party observers can detect the emotional benefits of two factors shown to influence self-reported happiness: the speed with which people make decisions and the generosity of spending choices....

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The beneficial effects of prosocial spending on happiness: work hard make money and spend it on others?

Previous research has shown that the way people spend their money is as important to happiness as how much money people earn. Specifically it has been shown that spending money on others contributes more to an individual’s happiness than spending money on oneself....

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Book Review: Choosing to live happily or unhappily

A Book Review of Choosing to live happily or unhappily

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Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life

Being happy and finding life meaningful overlap but there are important differences. A large survey revealed multiple differing predictors of happiness (controlling for meaning) and meaningfulness (controlling for happiness). Satisfying one’s needs and wants increased happiness but was largely irrelevant to meaningfulness....

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What's in a face? Perhaps some elements of both eudaimonic and hedonic well-being

The idea that eudaimonic well-being (EWB) should be distinguished from the more widespread notion of hedonic well-being (HWB) has stirred up disagreement among happiness researchers. Siding with EWB researchers this study provides theoretical and empirical arguments supporting the distinctiveness and usefulness of a EWB dimension....

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Psychosocial adjustment during the transition from adolescence to young adulthood: Developmental evidence from sexual minority and heterosexual youth

The current study used data from Waves I through III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to compare indicators of adjustment in sexual minority and heterosexual young adults....

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