The Science Behind What Makes Us Happy

In response to the elusive, age-old question of what brings about meaningful, lasting happiness, a number of responses may come to mind: wealth, a house in the Hamptons, eternal youth and beauty, the perfect partner, etc.

However, there is much quantitative research available that not only questions the link between happiness and external factors, but whether or not we’re even fully aware of what traits, behaviors and perceptions underlie happiness.

Let’s take a look.

How much do external factors matter?

Dr. Jennifer Aaker, general Atlantic professor of marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, cited factors in a 2010 talk that were organized by traits commonly believed to result in happiness, including assets like earning power, physical attractiveness, level of education, intelligence, etc. The research, instead, identified factors like high self-esteem, consistent volunteering, a sense of humor, free time and even dancing as the strongest indicators of happiness.

These kinds of findings are also corroborated by researchers like Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. In an interview in the university publication Berkeley Wellness , Dr. Simon-Thomas identified a threshold over which additional earning power no longer correlates with increased levels of well-being and contentment.

“From the 1920s to the 1950s—an era of depression and world war—as household income rose there was an increase in people’s self-reported happiness. But then the line just tapered off. Studies show that money increases happiness when it takes people from a place where there are real threats—poverty—to a place that is reliably safe. After that, money doesn’t matter much,” she said.

What factors actually matter?

It’s a phenomenon many researchers attribute to what has been dubbed “ the hedonic treadmill, ” in which perceived levels of happiness adjust to match surrounding circumstances. This is why lottery winners, for example, often report a spike in happiness for a short time after collecting their winnings, and then return to their former levels of happiness once they’ve readjusted.

Dr. Simon-Thomas also noted the presence of positive biological responses that happen in the human brain when engaging factors correlated with happiness, such as the act of giving, volunteering and being of service to others.

“The mesolimbic dopamine system linked to addiction also makes people feel pleasure when they give to others. If you measure hormones and activity in the body and the brain when people are being helpful or cooperating, you can see that pleasure happens,” she said. “We’re hardwired to be generous with others.”

These observations point to a fascinating conclusion that calls a number of cultural and conceptual assumptions into question. They suggest that frantic attempts to pursue wealth, success and prominence can lose their meaning once achieved, and don’t have much of an impact on life satisfaction without the presence of more meaningful factors.

Thus, if you’re looking to fill your life with deeper levels of happiness, cultivate the inherent generosity that exists within you on a biological level and embrace the art of service.

Are there factors in your life that are preventing you from experiencing the highest levels of happiness possible? Call us to schedule a consultation at 314-222-5830, visit our website or send us an email for more information.