How of Happiness

The scientific pursuit of happiness.

Sonja Lyubomirsky is a social psychologist at the University of California, Riverside and author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want. See full bio

October 5, 2008, Happiness

Comments on "Can You Be Too Happy-Go-Lucky?"

Can You Be Too Happy-Go-Lucky?

By Sonja Lyubomirsky on October 5, 2008 in How of Happiness

I was recently invited to a screening of a film about happiness. The film is called Happy Go Lucky (to be released in LA and NYC on Oct 10 and more widely 1-2 weeks later) and the director is Mike Leigh. (In case some readers don't know him, Leigh has made some wonderful films in the UK, including Vera Drake and Secrets & Lies.) Read More

hmmm, but this might

Submitted by farouk on October 6, 2008 - 1:17am.

hmmm, but this might discourage people from wanting to become happy, i hope people dont think that way, nice findingds

One question

Submitted by JamesF on October 6, 2008 - 3:14pm.

"With regard to the trait of happiness, studies show that people who report themselves as happy at age 18 will obtain more years of education and earn higher incomes in their 30s than will their less happy 18-year-old peers,"

What evidence is there that the casualty isn't running in the other direction? You imagine that more successful people are probably happier. Obviously in the top 10% this wouldn't be the case but what about the other 90%?

Good point

Submitted by Sonja Lyubomirsky on October 7, 2008 - 6:31am.

You're absolutely right -- the causality almost certainly runs in both directions. The advantage of longitudinal studies, however, is that success in one's 30s couldn't have caused happiness at age 18. (But, of course, a third variable, including success at 18, could have caused both outcomes.)
--Sonja