The How of Happiness: Boosting Well-Being Through Kindness, Gratitude, and Optimism Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph. D. Department of Psychology loo-boh-MERE-ski

The How of Happiness:Boosting Well-Being Through

Kindness, Gratitude, and Optimism

Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph. D. Department of Psychology

loo-boh-MERE-ski

© 2008. Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D. All rights reserved.

Collaborators:Julia Boehm, University of California, Riverside

Rene Dickerhoof, University of California, Riverside David Schkade, University of California, San Diego

Ken Sheldon, University of MissouriChris Tkach, University of California, Riverside

The How of Happiness:Boosting Well-Being Through

Kindness, Gratitude, and Optimism


“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

– Aristotle


“The purpose of our lives is to be happy.”

– The 14th Dalai Lama


How Important Is Happiness To You?

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Importance Rating

U.S. Greece Germany S. Africa China Turkey


How Important Is Happiness To You?

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Importance Rating

U.S. Greece Germany S. Africa China Turkey


Is the pursuit of happiness a worthwhile goal?

In other words, are there benefits to happiness, or does it just feel good?


225 STUDIES ON THE BENEFITS OF HAPPINESS:

Are more productive at work and more creative

Make more money and have superior jobs Are better leaders and negotiators Are more likely to marry and to have

fulfilling marriages, and less likely to divorce

Have more friends and social support Have stronger immune systems, are

physically healthier, and even live longer Are more helpful and philanthropic Cope better with stress and trauma

Happy people…

FROM: Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. A., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803-

855.


Are more productive at work and more creative

Make more money and have superior jobs Are better leaders and negotiators Are more likely to marry and to have

fulfilling marriages, and less likely to divorce

Have more friends and social support Have stronger immune systems, are

physically healthier, and even live longer Are more helpful and philanthropic Cope better with stress and trauma

Happy people…225 STUDIES ON THE BENEFITS OF HAPPINESS:


FROM: Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. A., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803-

855.

LONGITUDINAL STUDIES

Happiness(Time 1)

Outcome or Behavior

(Time 2)

Time


WORK PERFORMANCE STEP 1: Measure how happy employees

are STEP 2: 3.5 years later, their department

managers rate them on overall work performance and on these dimensions: Offers useful ideas Has high goals for performance Pays attention to my instructions & feedback

Works well with others RESULTS: Happier employees are rated by

supervisors as superior on all dimensions. FROM: Wright, T. A., & Staw, B. M. (1999). Affect and favorable work outcomes:

Two longitudinal tests of the happy-productive worker thesis. Journal of Organizational

Behavior, 20, 1-23.


CREATIVITY STEP 1: Induce happy mood

STEP 2: Complete a test of creativity

CLUB GOWN MARE ____?____

RESULTS: Those in a happy mood are more creative than those in a neutral mood.

FROM: Estrada, C., Isen, A. M., & Young, M. J. (1994). Positive affect improves creativeproblem solving and reported source of practice satisfaction in physicians. Motivation and Emotion,

18, 285-299.


PHYSICAL HEALTH

Have a lower incidence of stroke 6 years later (especially men)

If have coronary heart disease, are more likely to survive it up to 11 years later

Are less likely to be receiving work disability pension up to 11 years later

Are less likely to die in a car accident 8 years later

Are less likely to die of all causes up to 28 years later

People who are happy at one point in time…

FROM: Deeg & van Zonneveld, 1989; Kirkcaldy & Furnham, 2008; Ostir et al., 2001; Koivumaa-Honkanen et al., 2004; Krause et al., 1997


“The joyfulness of a man prolongeth his days.”

– Sirach 3-:22

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

– Proverbs 17:22


PHYSICAL HEALTH

Healthy volunteers completed a measure of happiness (or “positive emotional style”)

They were then administered a rhinovirus (via nasal drops)

FROM: Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Turner, R. B., Alper, C. M., & Skoner, D. P. (2001). Emotional style and susceptibility to the common cold. Psychosomatic Medicine,

65, 652-657.

Researchers quarantined them for 5 days and monitored them for 1 month RESULTS: Happier volunteers were less likely to develop a cold


QUESTION: Is it possible to become happier?

And, if it’s possible to become happier, is it possible to sustain it?


THE SELF-HELP LITERATURE

Happiness Is Free: And It’s Easier Than You Think! (Dwoskin & Levenson, 2002)

You Can Be Happy No Matter What (Carlson, 1997)

Happy For No Reason (Shimoff, 2008)

You Can Be the Wife of a Happy Husband (Cooper, 1977)


~ Do the 5 principles work?

~ Do some work better than others?

~ Do they work better for some people than for others?

~ Are any positive effects due to placebo effects?

~ Do the happiness boosts last?


THREE REASONS TO BE PESSIMISTIC

We’re all born with a genetically-determined “set point” for happiness



Happiness is a life-long trait




Happiness is a life-long trait

“Hedonic adaptation”: We adapt to all things positive



My argument:

Despite the fact that our happiness is partially genetically determined and despite the fact that our life situations have a minimal influence on how happy we are, still a very large portion of happiness – up to 40% – is in our power to change.


WHAT DETERMINES HAPPINESS?

Set Point50%

FROM: Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuinghappiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology,

9, 111-131.


WHAT DETERMINES HAPPINESS?

Circumstances 10%

Set Point50%

IntentionalActivity

40%


FROM: Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuinghappiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology,

9, 111-131.

DEFINING HAPPINESS

Experience of frequent positive emotions AND a sense that one’s life is good

Researchers let people judge their happiness for themselves

Happiness is subjective


RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HAPPY PEOPLE:

Nurture and enjoy their social relationships Are comfortable expressing gratitude Are often the first to help others Practice optimism about the future Savor pleasures and live in the present moment Make physical activity a habit Are often spiritual or religious Are deeply committed to meaningful goals

FROM: Lyubomirsky (2001); Diener et al. (1999); Myers (2000), Diener & Lucas (1999),

Argyle (1999)


RESEARCH SHOWS THAT HAPPY PEOPLE:

Nurture and enjoy their social relationships (relevant to hobbies -- e.g., interacting/working with others)

Are often the first to help others (relevant to hobbies)

Savor pleasures and live in the present moment (relevant to hobbies -- e.g., “flow”)

Make physical activity a habit (relevant to hobbies) Are often spiritual or religious (relevant to hobbies)

Are deeply committed to meaningful goals (relevant to hobbies -- e.g., learning new things, pursuing new projects)


INTENTIONAL POSITIVE ACTIVITY

Behavioral: How we act

Cognitive: How we think

Motivational: What goals we follow


People adapt to almost all positive experiences. Adaptation to positive experiences is one of the

greatest obstacles to raising happiness. My goal: To determine how we can thwart or

slow down such adaptation.


ADVANTAGES OF ACTIVITY

Variety: You can vary it

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.”

— George Santayana


ADVANTAGES OF ACTIVITY

Variety: You can vary it Timing: You can time it

Surprise: You can generate surprises

Attention: You can try to hold it in your mind and appreciate it


“My experience is what I agree to attend to.”

– William James, “father” of psychology


ADVANTAGES OF ACTIVITY Variety: You can vary it

Timing: You can time it

Surprise: You can generate surprises

Attention: You can try to hold it in your mind and appreciate it


FROM: Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Surmounting a critical barrier to becoming happier: Hedonic adaptation to positive experience. To appear in S. Folkman (Ed.), Handbook on stress, coping,

and health. New York: Oxford University Press.

Intervention: An experiment in which people are instructed to change themselves in some way that has a positive outcome.


HAPPINESS INTERVENTIONS WE HAVE CONDUCTED:

Over the course of 2-3 months, volunteers areasked to do the following on a regular basis: Commit acts of kindness Count their blessings Write gratitude letters Visualize their best possible future Savor and replay happy days


The conclusion of our research:

“Happiness takes work!”


THREE HAPPINESS-ENHANCING INTERVENTIONS

Study 1: Committing Acts of Kindness

Study 2: Expressing Gratitude & Optimism

Study 3: Expressing Gratitude & Optimism Across Cultures







If You Want Happiness…

For an hour — Take a nap For a day — Go fishing For a month — Get married For a year — Inherit a fortune For a lifetime — Help somebody else

— Chinese Proverb


“The benefits of helping somebody is beneficial.” – George W. Bush


Kind Acts… Help us see others and our community more charitably Prompt us to feel better off by comparison Relieve distress or guilt over others’ misfortune Give us a sense of interdependence and cooperation Lead us to see ourselves as generous, and to feel

confident, competent, in control, and optimistic about our ability to help

Lead others to like us more and help us make new friends Increase the chance that others will appreciate us and

reciprocate in our times of need


Participants were instructed to do 3 or 9 acts of kindness per week for a period of 10 weeks

Three groups: High variety (do any acts out of an original

list of 15) (n = 70)

Low variety (choose 3 acts out of a list of 15 and do them over and over again) (n = 23)

Control (list 3 or 9 events each week) (n = 94)

Study 1: “Acts of Kindness”


How We Measured Happiness

Items include…

In general, I consider myself:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 not a very a veryhappy person happy person

Compared to most of my peers, I consider myself:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 less happy more happy

Subjective Happiness Scale (4 items)


How We Measured Happiness

How do you feel about your life right now?

1 2 3 4 5 terrible mixed dissatisfied delighted and satisfied

Terrible-Delighted Scale (1 item)


Instructions: We would like you to list 15 acts of kindness that you would like to do

more in the future. Acts of kindness are acts or behaviors that are not normally expected of you in your daily life, and involve some sacrifice by you. Only write down acts of kindness that are easily repeatable on a daily basis. For example, if you live with someone, the act of kindness could be doing a chore that you don't usually do. If you go to a coffee shop or stand in a line every day, the act could be letting one person go ahead of you in line. If you drive every day, the act of kindness could be letting a car enter your lane or go ahead of you at a stop sign, etc. After you make your list, we ask you to choose 3 [9] of these acts and do them during the upcoming week.


Changes in Subjective Happiness

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Theme of my research:

“Fit” is critical.~ Fit with your personality~ Fit with your goals~ Fit with your strengths~ Fit with your lifestyle~ Fit with the source of your

unhappiness







Participants were instructed to write for 15 min per week over the course of 8 weeks

Conditions: Expressing Optimism: Write about your best

possible future selves (n = 113)

Expressing Gratitude: Write letters of gratitude (n = 109)

Control: List what you have done over the past 7 days (n = 110)

Study 2: “Gratitude and Optimism”


OPTIMISM CONDITIONInstructions

Please take a moment to think about your romantic life in the future (say in 10 years). Imagine that everything has gone as well as it possibly could for you. You have an amazing partner or wife/husband and everyone is impressed by the relationship you share. Think of this as the realization of all your hopes and expectations regarding a significant other. Now, for the next 15 min, write about what you imagined.


GRATITUDE CONDITIONInstructions

Please take moment to think back over the past several years of your life and remember an instance when someone did something for you for which you are extremely grateful. For example, think of the people – parents, relatives, friends, teachers, coaches, teammates, employers, and so on – who have been especially kind to you but have never heard you express your gratitude. Although you should try to write your letter of gratitude to a new person each week; if you prefer, you can write another letter to the same person you wrote to previously. Now for the next 15 min, write a letter to one of these individuals.


Participants recruited into a “high motivation” vs. “low motivation” group

Testing the Role of Motivation

“Do you want to become happier? Sign up here to learn more…”

“This study is about practicing cognitive exercises. Sign up here to learn more…”


n = 80 n = 78 n = 75

n = 33 n = 31 n = 35

2X3 Design (6 groups)

Optimism Gratitude Control

Motivated

Non-Motivated


n = 80 n = 78 n = 75

n = 33 n = 31 n = 35

2X3 Design (6 groups)


Motivated

Non-Motivated


Changes in HappinessImmediately After the Intervention

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Changes in Happiness9-Month Follow-Up

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Changes in HappinessImmediately After the Intervention

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Changes in Happiness9-Month Follow-Up

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Our findings attest to the important role of motivation, effort, commitment, and fit.







Our hypothesis:

The pursuit of happiness is universal. Thus, both Asian-Americans and Anglo-Americans will benefit equally (but perhaps differently) from our happiness interventions.


Participants were instructed to write for 10 min per week over the course of 6 weeks

Conditions: Expressing Optimism: Write about your best

possible future selves (n = 78)

Expressing Gratitude: Write letters of gratitude (n = 80)

Control: List what you have done over the past 7 days (n = 81)

Study 3: “Gratitude and Optimism Across Cultures”


n = 36 n = 41 n = 40

n = 42 n = 39 n = 41

Again a 2 X 3 Design


Anglo-Americans

Asian-Americans


ANGLO-AMERICANS (N = 117)

% Female 47%

Mean Age 39

% Married 59%

% College Graduate 65%

% >$60,000/year 48%

% Not religious 20%

ASIAN-AMERICANS (N = 122)

% Female 56%

Mean Age 31

% Married 37%

% College Graduate 97%

% >$60,000/year 48%

% Not religious 23%

Comparing Our Two Ethnic Groups

Born in: China 41% Taiwan 14% Vietnam 13% S. Korea 7% Hong Kong 4% India 4%


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Changes in Well-Being1-Month Follow-Up


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Anglo-AmericansAsian-Americans

Changes in Well-Being1-Month Follow-Up

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Changes in RelationshipsDuring the Second Half of the Intervention

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Changes in Relationships

Anglo-Americans Asian-Americans


Changes in GratitudeDuring the Second Half of the Intervention

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Changes in Gratitude

Anglo-Americans Asian-Americans


“We don’t believe in this Robinson Crusoe happiness. All happiness is relational.”

– Karma Ura, director of Centre for Bhutan Studies


WHAT’S NEXT? More happiness interventions

Do expectations matter? Does timing matter? Does social support matter? Do habits matter? Why do the strategies work?


WHAT’S NEXT?

Can we alleviate depressive symptoms?

More happiness interventions Do expectations matter? Does timing matter? Does social support matter? Do habits matter? Why do the strategies work?


PREDICTION: By 2020, depression will be the second-leading cause of mortality in the entire world, affecting 30% of all people.

– World Health Organization

FROM: Murray, J. L., & Lopez, A. D. (1996). The global burden of disease: A comprehensive

assessment of mortality and disability from diseases, injuries and risk factors in 1990 and projected

to 2020. Summary. Boston: Harvard School of Public Health: World Health Organization.


Question:

Would depressed people benefit more from happiness interventions?

~because they have more room to improve

Or would they benefit less? ~because their cognitive and behavioral deficits prevent them from taking full advantage of the strategies


“Happiness depends upon

ourselves.” – Aristotle

Website:www.thehowofhappiness.com


Documents

The How of Happiness: Boosting Well-Being Through Kindness, Gratitude, and Optimism Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph. D. Department of Psychology loo-boh-MERE-ski