How our view of what makes us happy has changed in 80 years

 

How have our views of happiness changed in the last 80 years, and how have they stayed the same? Credit: © lenayarmolik / Fotolia Our view of what makes us happy has changed markedly since 1938. That is the conclusion of the psychologist Sandie McHugh from the Univeristy of Bolton who has recreated a famous study of happiness conducted in Bolton in 1938. She will present her study today, Tuesday 5 May 2015, to the Annual Conference of the British Psychological Society in Liverpool. In 1938 Mass Observation placed an advertisement in the the Bolton Evening News asking readers to answer the question 'What is happiness?'. A total of 226 people sent letters in reply, and they were asked to help compile a happiness index by rating the importance of ten factors ranging from beauty to more security and religion. In 2014 Sandie McHugh and Professor Jerome Carson repeated the Mass Observation survey by asking people from the town, via the Bolton News, to complete a questionnaire that repeated the questions from 1938 as closely was possible. She then compared the new findings with those from 1938. Sandie McHugh found that in 1938 security, knowledge and religion were seen by participants as being the three most important aspects of happiness. In 2014 security was still in the top three, but good humour and leisure were in first and second places. Religion, which was seen as the third most important factor in 1938, had fallen to tenth (and bottom) place in 1938. Another striking difference is that in 1938 the majority of people said they were happiest when they were in Bolton, but in 2014 63 per cent said they were happier away from the town. When it comes to luck, in 1938 and in 2014, 40 per cent of people believed it was important to happiness. In 2014, 77 per cent answered "No" to the question "Do you think your happiness is directly linked to material possessions and wealth?." Although security had been highly rated in 1938, wealth by itself was not. Sandie McHugh said: "The overall impression from the correspondence in 1938 is that happiness factors were rooted in everyday lives at home and within the community. In 2014 many comments value family and friends, with good humour and leisure time also ranked highly." Quotations on happiness from the 1938 and 2014 surveys "Enough money to meet everyday needs and a little for pleasure." (1938) "Knowing that my rent is paid on time and I can afford to eat healthily." (2014) "I would like a little home, not many possessions … congenial and satisfying companionship, the availability of good music and books." (1938) "Engaging in my hobbies, spending time that is free of worry … Simple things like enjoying a nice meal or receiving care and affection." (2014) "When I come home from the pit and see my kiddies and wife, I am happy." (1938) "Simple things like going out for a walk…….you don't need tons of material things to be happy, you just have to be happy in the place you live and with the people around you." (2014) Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by British Psychological Society (BPS). Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Can money buy happiness? The relationship between money and well-being

Researchers are investigating new directions in the science of spending. Four presentations during the symposium "Happy Money 2.0: New Insights Into the Relationship Between Money and Well-Being," delve into the effects of experiential purchases, potential negative impacts on abundance, the psychology of lending to friends, and how the wealthy think differently about well-being. The symposium takes place during the SPSP 16th Annual Convention in Long Beach, California. Anticipation for experiential purchases Research published in the journal Psychological Science has shown that experiential purchases--money spent on doing--may provide more enduring happiness than material purchases (money spent on having). Participants reported that waiting for an experience elicits significantly more happiness, pleasantness and excitement than waiting for a material good. "The anticipatory period [for experiential purchases] tends to be more pleasant...less tinged with impatience relative to future material purchases we're planning on making," explains lead researcher Amit Kumar. In an analysis of stories in the news media about long lines, "Those waiting for an experience tended to be in a better mood and better behaved than those waiting for a material good." Given the results, the researchers suggest that it may make sense to delay consumption of some purchases, and shift spending away from material goods to more experiences. In short--start planning for vacations, dinner parties and concerts ahead of time to reap more benefits from anticipation. Abundance, adversity and savoring Can less really be more? Research published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that both material and experiential wealth tends to reduce people's ability to savor simple joys and experiences. Wealth and abundance may undermine appreciation and reduce the positive emotions associated with everyday experiences. In contrast to abundance, experiencing adversity in the past or scarcity in the present increases individual's ability to savor everyday moments, according to a study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science (SPPS). "Simply reminding individuals that the future can be unpredictable drives people to stop and smell the roses," says lead researcher Jordi Quoidbach. Temporarily giving something up may provide an effective route to happiness, concludes another study published in SPPS. Consistently indulging in pleasure and abundance may not be the most productive route to happiness. The cost of lending money Researchers at UCLA and Harvard Business School are studying how lenders and borrowers differ in how they mentally account for loaned funds, and the expectations for how the money should be spent. The researchers showed that lenders were angriest when borrowers purchased hedonic (vs. utilitarian) items. In a follow up study, researchers distinguished lending from other types of exchanges, finding those who had loaned money (versus gifted or paid) reported the most anger towards those who purchased a hedonic item with the funds. A third study demonstrated lenders believe they are entitled to far more oversight over what the borrower purchases than borrowers believe lenders to be, especially for larger amounts of money. These results shed light on the root of the anger lenders feel when borrowers seem to 'misappropriate' their loan. "Our work shows that interpersonal lending can become an emotional minefield, especially for the lender and particularly when the borrower makes purchases that are hedonic rather than utilitarian," explains lead researcher Noah Goldstein. What do the wealthy need to be happy? Many people believe that becoming rich is the path to happiness, but pursuing wealth may be an ineffective means of pursuing well-being. According to a study from researchers at Harvard Business School, the University of Mannheim and Yale University, wealthy individuals report that having three to four times as much money would give them a perfect "10" score on happiness--regardless of how much wealth they already have. "Wealthy individuals--whether worth $1 million or $10 million--are not happier as their wealth increases," says lead researcher Michael Norton. The research shows that current happiness is not related to wealth and may even be negatively related to income. The study is expected to be published in the coming year. Story Source: The above story is based on materials provided by Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.