The Politics of Happiness: What Government Can Learn from the New Research on Well-Being

the percentages of Americans who declare themselves “very happy,” “pretty happy,” or “not too happy” are almost exactly the same as they were half a century ago.

Instead, they attach too much importance to the immediate effects of a happy or unhappy experience without realizing how quickly they will adapt and grow used to what has occurred.

Rather, apart from such basic conditions as how well people feel, how much freedom they enjoy, and whether they possess the necessities and comforts of life, the most important sources of happiness seem to include having close relationships with family and friends, helping others, and being active in community, charitable, and political activities.

In one recent experiment, for example, two groups of subjects were given a sum of money and instructed to spend it all in the next 24 hours.58 One randomly selected group was asked to spend the money on themselves; the second was told to spend it on others in need. When the subjects were tested a day or two later, those who gave to others were sign

Yet psychologists report that those who attach great importance to achieving wealth tend to suffer above-average unhappiness and disappointment.21

In particular, they seem unable to predict the duration of the happiness or unhappiness brought on by many common events or changes in their lives.

Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert cites several other studies showing that the happiness of couples declines after the birth of children and does not rise again until their offspring leave home.38

Other researchers have reported that couples that do have children experience higher levels of tension, depression, and emotional distress than couples without children.37

People do not always know what will give them lasting satisfaction. They tend to focus too much on their initial response to changes in their daily lives and overlook how soon the pleasure of a new car or a pay raise or a move to warmer climes will disappear and leave them no happier than before. Conversely, they often fail to realize how quickly t

Another interesting finding is that volunteering or performing acts of kindness contributes significantly to happiness.57