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Lecture notes Science of Happiness ()
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Notes from lectures 1 to 8 of the course ''Science of Happiness- '' (Utrecht University).
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Lectures- Science of Happiness1 Lecture 1 (Nov 16): - Eid & Larsen, Chapters 1, 14 & 24
Why happiness deserves scientific - Diener & Seligman (2002)
interest - Norrish & Vella-Brodrick
(2008)
Prof.dr. Denise de Ridder
Host: Leslie van der Leer
2: Lecture 2 (Nov 23): - Eid & Larsen, Chapters 6 & 7
Defining and measuring happiness
Prof.dr. Denise de Ridder
Host: Laura Weiss
3 Lecture 3 (Nov 30): - Eid & Larsen, Chapters 12 (pp.
The psychology of happiness: 239-244) & 13 (pp. 258-270)
Theories of well-being (Dr. Laura - Ryan & Deci (2001)
Weiss) - Wilson & Gilbert (2005)
Thinking about well-being (Dr.
Leslie van der Leer)
4 Lecture 4 (Dec 7): Interventions - Eid & Larsen, Chapters 21, 22
for making people happier & 23
Dr. Floor Kroese
Host: Laura Weiss
5 Lecture 5 (Dec 14): Happiness and - Flavin, Pacek, & Radcliff (2014)
public policy - Graham, Laffan, & Pinto
(2018)
Prof.dr. Denise de Ridder - Oishi & Diener (2014)
Host: Leslie van der Leer
6 Lecture 6 (Dec 21): Happiness in the - Eid & Larsen, Chapters 3 & 20
Netherlands - Social State of the Netherlands
(SCP, 2017),
Dr. Jeroen Boelhouwer Chapters 1 and 12
(Netherlands Institute for Social - Diener, Ng, Harter, & Arora, (2010)
Research SCP)
Host: Floor Kroese
,7 Lecture 7 (Jan 11): - Eid & Larsen, Chapter 15
Can money buy happiness? - Clark, Frijters, & Shields
(2008)
Dr. Martijn Burger (Erasmus
Happiness Economics
Organisation & Open University)
Host: Leslie van der Leer
8 Lecture 8 (Jan 18): - Eid & Larsen, Chapters 2 & 5
The philosophy of happiness - Kagan (1998)
Dr. Sander Werkhoven (Utrecht
University)
Host: Denise de Ridder
.
,Lecture 1- Why happiness deserves scientific interest (16-11-21)
What have been the top news stories of 2021?
- Covid-19 pandemic continued
- Siberian wildfires
- Taliban take over Afghanistan
- La Palma volcano eruption
- >1500 migrants died while crossing the Mediterranean Sea
- Thanks to increased community engagement during the pandemic, US suicides rates had the
biggest annual decline in 40 years with a 6% drop
- Kamala Harris became the first female, first Black, and first Asian-American Vice President in US
history
- Making small steps in Glasgow
NEGATIVITY BIAS: Bad is stronger than good
Negative events have a bigger impact than positive events:
People are more distressed by the loss of $50 than they are made happy by finding $50
Negative information receives more attention and is processed more thoroughly than positive
information
Evolutionary explanation: Humans attuned to preventing bad things thrive more than those oriented
toward maximizing good things.
A person who ignores the danger of fire may not live to see the next day
-> Psychological research has focused more on understanding ‘bad things’ (Baumeister et al., 2001)
“Evolution doesn’t want you to be happy or satisfied. We’re supposed to ‘survive and reproduce’”
Evolutionary psychologist Rafael Euba (2019)
“A huge happiness and positive thinking industry has helped to create the fantasy that happiness is a
realistic goal. Chasing the happiness dream is a very American concept, exported to the rest of the
world through popular culture. Unfortunately, this has helped to create an expectation that real life
stubbornly refuses to deliver.”
Science of Happiness is a recent phenomenon
• Ed Diener - Dr. Happiness
• Subjective Well-Being (1984): 19.061 cites
• Follow Up (1999): 16.792 cites
• Martin Seligman – Positive Psychology (2000)
• Mihalyi Csikszentmihaliyi – Flow (1990)
, • Barbara Frederickson – Broaden & Build (2001)
• Ruut Veenhoven - Our own Dutch Geluksprofessor
Is there such a thing as Science of Happiness?
Happiness is world wide a topic of research (Kaleman)
HAPPINESS ≈ WELL-BEING
Happiness sounds sexy but actually we mean wellbeing (more serious term)
3 components of happiness:
- More positive affect (emotional)
- Less negative affect (emotional)
- Life satisfaction (cognitive)
+ Purpose in life (eudaimonic)
What characterizes happiness beyond an individual experience?
Do circumstances and living conditions matter?
For Diogenes (404-323 BC), living in a jar, they didn’t. But how about us?
Do material conditions have an influence?
Is happiness your own responsibility?
Can you increase your level of happiness?
Should government create conditions that make you happy (in their own interest)?
Norrish & Vella-Brodrick, 2007
Beyond happiness as an individual state
Different perspectives:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Economics
- Philosophy
Why is this relevant (to study happiness)? WE WANT TO BE HAPPY
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