The Science of Happiness: What You Need to Know

I am always on the hunt for ways to enhance my happiness. Today I will explore the science of happiness.

What is happiness, anyway?

The phrase “the science of happiness” refers to a new field of social science called positive psychology. Contrary to popular belief, it is not “positive thinking” or self-help. It is a broad empirical field of research and application worldwide.

According to one of its pioneers Chris Peterson, simply put, positive psychology is the study of those things that make life worth living. While traditional psychology is mitigative, helping us get less of what we don’t want and fix the things that are wrong with us, positive psychology functions constructively in helping us get more of what we do want. That is making ourselves better, happier people.

Theories about happiness go back to before the time of Aristotle, and even today, there are many theories on what constitutes well-being and happiness. Some are focused on the societal level (exploring issues of justice, for example), while some focus on psychological health.

Why happiness matters

Americans want to be happy. But some recent studies have found a paradox: The pursuit of happiness tends to make individual Americans unhappy.