Happiness psychology

1
Happiness psychology

• Prepared by Egle Vaškelyte, Ps 07-02

2
Content

• What is happiness psychology?
• The happy personality
• Optimists and depression
• Happiness and friendship
• Intrinsic goals and happiness
• Money and happiness
• Extroverts and happiness
• Happiness and longer life
• Happiness among older Europeans
• Comparing ourselves to others
• Counting kindness
• Positive illusions

3
What is happiness psychology?

• Happiness psychology is the study of human
  behavior and happiness. There are secrets to
  getting and staying happy.
• Most people are about as happy as they make up
  their minds to be. Abraham Lincoln

4
The happy personality

• Happy people tend to be optimists they overstate
  the positive impact of positive events. For
  example
• They know they can get themselves a second
  chance.
• Most of the time they find themselves asking a
  positive How?.
• Their main motto is "Life is not fair, but Im
  going to make the best of it and learn to be on
  the winning side."

5
Optimists and depression

• Both men and women are more likely to be
  depressed and are less happy around the age of
  44.
• Optimists are less likely to suffer from
  depression, but when they do, depression does not
  last long.

6

• Most people are somewhere in the middle
• at different times of their lives, they move
  between the two ends of the scale, from being to
  pessimistic or to optimistic.

7
Happiness and friendship

• A person doesnt need a large number of friends
  to be happy he needs one the best
  
  friend.
  

8
Intrinsic goals and happiness

• Intrinsic goals contribute more to well-being
  than external goals.

9
Money and happiness

• Why do people want more money if it does not
  contribute to persons happiness?
• They do not realize more money will not raise
  their well-being
• People enjoy the goal get higher incomes
• Money produces short-term benefits
• People need to buy things to gain status.

10
Extroverts and happiness

• Extroverts tend to be happier both in short-term
  and long-term.

11
Happiness and longer life

• Happiness helps you live longer.

12
Happiness among older Europeans

• Older people living alone are more likely to be
  depressed, lonely and unhappy
• Those living with a relative or friend were more
  likely to be lonely than those living with a
  spouse.

13
Comparing ourselves to others

• In some cases, comparing makes us feel better,
  but also it can cause sadness, depression or
  anger.

14
Counting kindness

• People can become happier and more grateful by
  simply counting acts of kindness for one week.

15
Positive illusions

• Positive, idealized illusions give greater
  satisfaction than thinking in terms of reality.

16
Conclusions

• Happy people tend to be optimists and are less
  likely to suffer from depression.
• Happiness is bigger than
• -we have one the best friend
• -our goals are intrinsic
• -we do not compare ourselves with others
• -we count kindness and have positive illusions
• -we are living with other people
• Money does not raise our well-being.

17
References

• Linda L. Davidoff Introduction to psychology,
  PLEASURE, JOY, AND HAPPINESS
• http//harvardmagazine.com/2007/01/the-science-of-
  happiness.html
• http//behavioural-psychology.suite101.com/article
  .cfm/psychology_of_happiness
• http//lifehappiness.org/psychologyofhappiness/
• http//happinesspsych.com/

18
Pictures

• www.klase.lt/.../200708/7235_fullsize.jpghttp//w
  ww.friendshipjoys.com/graphics/friendship_graphic_
  03.gif
• www.getacoach.co.nz/images/Oct4/wealth1_small.jpg
• www.businessxteam.com/.../images/introvert.jpg
• www.resolutionslifecoaching.com/userimages/is...
• www.inspiration-for-singles.com/.../kindness.jpg