Science of Happiness: 1000s Of Years Of Research

  • Mood

How Do You Define Happiness?

We like to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The term happiness can be defined as a state of such pleasure, gratification, comfort and well-being. Researchers, however, have begun to dislike the word as it is quite fuzzy and ill defined. Drugs of abuse make several people happy even though it’s obvious that they consume the addict’s life and scoff his or her sanity. But recent research clarifies the state of being by describing its two principal components – pleasure of the senses and the pleasure of purpose. Implying, feeling good at the physical level as well as a metaphysical parallel of seeing meaning in existence, and feeling content with life.

Confucian Era

  • Building connections
  • Showing due diligence
  • Freedom, spontaneity
  • Fighting, and surviving
  • Valor or virtuousness
  • Veracity and integrity

Contemporary Era

  • Discovery, innovation
  • Pursuing pleasure
  • Feeling like engaging
  • Seeking excitement
  • Achievement, triumph
  • Competing, winning

Current Era

  • Sensory gratification
  • Accomplishment
  • Contributory influence
  • Interpersonal engagement
  • Purpose and drive
  • Meaningfulness

Happiness and Evolution: Darwin

Charles Darwin speculated that emotions may be the root cause of the survival of the fittest. All animals are capable of emotion but humans seem to be the most evolved in this regard. The reward center in the brain releases dopamine or the wellness chemical during moments of pleasure. In fact, a lack of dopamine could lead to boredom and displeasure, or even depression, to explain simply.

Humans consistently seek to amplify positive emotions and our behavior hence is driven to things that we believe will make us happy. But this is not limited to selfish fulfillment of personal needs and desires. That would make us egocentric. We also tend to be alterocentric wherein we derive joy out of being nice to others. We may possibly see ourselves through people’s eyes, and whether recipients of our goodness tell us how they feel about our gesture or not, we believe we did good, and so we feel good.

Happiness as a Higher Need: Maslow

Psychologist Abraham Maslow described the hierarchy of human needs wherein basic needs included warmth, shelter, food, clothing and safety. Happiness evolved as a higher need also classified with other metaneeds that connect with purpose, meaningfulness, justice and order. As we have our basic needs met, we rise in the ladder and seek to achieve more meaning. Happiness too gets more sophisticated, as gratification, that comes from giving and not receiving. All things beautiful, exciting, enticing, and entertaining cease to offer happiness unless we are able to see meaning in them. Alas, many humans do not rise as much, and seek happiness in the superficialities of existence. It works for them. But doesn’t keep them happy for too long.

“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy. It’s all about the moment anyways. This moment isn’t going to last. They never do.”

- Guillaume Apollinaire

Hedonic Treadmill: Brickman and Campbell

50 years ago, Brickman and Campbell introduced the hedonic treadmill. You can run as fast as you want on the treadmill, but you’ll still stay at the same spot. Happiness can never offer an unlimited duration of pleasure. The very thing that we think makes us ecstatic at a given point, does not do so forever. The human brain is designed to adapt to an external stimulus and modulate the response with every exposure. With passing time, the brain demands change.

That is why the same person, sport, food or job can keep us continually happy only if we grow through the process. If we do not evolve, we stagnate and so does our happiness graph. That’s the reason why we wonder – “What even happened? I was so excited to get this car, job, partner, home, yacht or horse. I’m not happy about it anymore.” The truth is, the craving for happiness motivates us, but when we get what we desire, we realize it doesn’t give us as much happiness as we anticipated. We’re on the hedonic treadmill. We’re not getting anywhere.

the happiness recipe -goal and purpose

Happiness and Money: Kahneman

Money has a significant influence on life satisfaction, but happiness is affected by money only when funds are lacking according to psychologist Daniel Kahneman. Poverty generates anguish, but above a certain level of income that satisfies basic human needs, wealth doesn’t increase happiness. The graph becomes remarkably flat. So, if you earn a certain amount of money, you might be progressively happier but after a certain point you will want to search for meaning in your life, as satisfaction isn’t coming from the money anymore. It comes from doing meaningful things. And if you realize that and seek purpose, you will have the pleasure of both – money and happiness. Money buys a lot of things that make us happy, but after a certain point it becomes inept as far as the pursuit of happiness is concerned.

Happiness and Positivity: Seligman

Martin Seligman pointed out that a life without purpose cannot offer happiness. We’ve got to get off the hedonic treadmill and walk towards the happiness goal. Happiness involves, but is more than tangible sensory indulgences. It encompasses pleasure or pleasantness, engagement with the flow of what you do, and seeing a larger purpose in the process. Hence the focus on intangible psychological wealth like attitudes, relationships, goals and commitment. Those who possess fewer material pleasures are still happier if they enjoy what they do and sense gratification from their effort. According to his theory and research, people who feel maximal positive emotions, are highly engaged with what they do; and see utmost meaning and purpose; are the happiest people in life.

“The ultimate goal is to attain well-being and satisfaction. Achievement of this goal can only start by asking what ‘really’ makes you happy. And being sure of your answer.”

- Martin Seligman

Happiness: Metaphor to Reality

Some call happiness the weather (fluctuating), many may label it a butterfly (fleeting), and others describe it as a chase (endless pursuit). Some feel happy because they maxed an exam, others because they aced the race and several because they could pay their monthly bill for chemotherapy. Research affirms that if you have a friend you can call at 4AM with your troubles, you will be happier, and live longer. The capacity to love and be loved, to care and be comforted back, to give and feel ecstatic because you contributed; are harbingers of high-level delight. Five hundred thousand years ago the capacity of the human brain doubled from 600 cubic centimeters to the present 1200 cubic centimeters. We’ve evolved, and in our quest for happiness we must realize that superficialities won’t give us what we need. We might just have to delve deeper for that.

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