The Science of Happiness: 75 Years of Research

Some philosophers and thinkers have proposed the provocative idea that, even though happiness could be classified as the most important goal in human life, really this is not an end goal, but a process.

Maybe that's why it is worth studying what we call happiness using a wide angle, and perhaps that is why it makes sense to carry out an investigation on her that lasts 75 years: the Grant Study.

• Related article: "The 10 keys to being happy, according to science"

Psychology applied to happiness

Until not so long ago, applied psychology focused on the study of mental disorders and inappropriate behavior patterns.

From the first behaviorists, who basically wanted to turn children into machines to fulfill the objectives that their parents set for them, passing through the direct disciples of Sigmund Freud, for whom practically all people had mental problems, this young science seemed to orbit around the idea of ​​the lesser evil: better mitigate the symptoms of this disorder than letting it express itself, better to spend time and effort in correcting these behaviors than to make them continue expressing themselves, etc.

At the end of the 20th century the positive psychology made an appearance and placed the study of happiness at the center of this approach. However, long before, one of the most interesting studies on what produces well-being had already begun. The Harvard University Grant Study, started in 1938, has been investigating for decades the development of a generation of adults who in the 1930s were of the same age university.

Today, many of these volunteers are still alive and continue to appear for interviews and medical examinations newspapers to let researchers know how your health and outlook on life are changing. In turn, some of the scientists who drove the research during its early years of development continue alive and involved in the project, although many generations have already passed through the management and direction of the study.

Seven decades of research condensed into one idea

One of the main objectives of this research is be able to see with perspective what influences the development of our health and our perception of living a happy life. That is why one of the questions that has been tried to answer has been: what is it that makes us happy?

According Robert Waldinger, the current director of this project, the answer is: warm and trust-based social relationships. When examining the variables that are related to the perception of being happy, most of them refer to the way in which we relate. It is not only important to have many people that you have been able to count on throughout your life: it also matters the quality of these relationships is relevant, the degree to which we know we can trust them.

What makes us happy

Of course, you can always specify more. Within the idea that friendly and to a certain extent intimate social relationships are good for both our health and our level of happiness, there are several nuances to take into account. We meet them below.

1. Feeling lonely is associated with poor health

It does not matter if many people know our name and talk to us regularly **: the feeling of loneliness is carried inside, ** and if it appears, it is more possible that we will not reach the levels of happiness that we wish. In addition, we will tend to lead less healthy lifestyle habits that will harm our health.

2. The importance of displays of affection in childhood

In line with what psychologists such as John bowlby, having an upbringing in which our parents gave us affection is a factor surprisingly important that leaves an important imprint on our psychological development by reach adulthood. Having felt helpless during our first years of life makes us see happiness further.

3. Social relationships are helpful too

Having a good relationship with people is not only pleasant and stimulates us psychologically improving our mental health: It is also associated with having more opportunities for professional success and intellectual development, which in turn is linked to the degree of happiness we feel.