Morning Update: The science behind happiness

In peace. We’re happily learning – more below, as well as Canada’s Olympic medal draw and the growing threat of severe storms caused by wildfires. But first:

Today’s news headlines

• Global stocks are lower as concerns grow that the US could fall to the ground
• After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, protesters want Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead Bangladesh
• Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is asking Ottawa for support to help Jasper recover as refugees return home

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Psychology

Cracking the code of happiness

People are willing to spend a lot of money to find happiness. There are self-help books, wellness retreats, workplace meetings, psychology apps, a deep bench of life coaches, the entire Goop product line — all of which add up to a multi-billion dollar industry in America. Just north. But Canadian developmental psychologist Bruce Hood thinks we need to go back to basics. He argues that happiness can – and should – be taught in school, alongside science and mathematics.

In her new report, Globe and Mail columnist Erin Anderssen examines the latest advances in the science of happiness. He reports on Hood and his Science of Happiness course at the University of Bristol in Britain, and discovers the types of happiness interventions that actually boost our mood. The role kicks off a long year of excitement for Erin, who has reported extensively for The Globe on health policy, public affairs and mental health. We talked about what she’s found so far – and how I can manage my emotions.

What is nature and what is nurture when it comes to happiness? How much room do we have to play there?

That’s a point of contention among positive psychology researchers, who study positive rather than negative emotions. Twin studies clearly show that there is a genetic component to our personality and emotions: Some children seem naturally happy. But, of course, our environment, experiences and life choices are also mixed. Happiness levels also go up and down and back again, and researchers see this as evidence that we have control over our minimum level of happiness. As Bruce Hood points out, a certain amount of intelligence is genetic, but we know that education can influence it. It’s the same, he says, happily.

I tend to fall on the crabbier side of the spectrum. How can Hood teach me to be happier?

I’d say I fall on the pessimistic side myself, I made my partner joke when he heard I’d be reporting happiness for next year. But Hood would remind us that happiness takes practice; we can’t just read a book and be perfect. He can recommend all the usual steps – practicing gratitude, walking in nature, being mindful – but his biggest advice is to get out of our heads and invest in the people and relationships that give us meaning and happiness.

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What does science say about the effectiveness of these measures?

There is little research to show that these steps lead to long-term happiness. Most studies do not follow people for long periods of time. And the power you get even in a short time is not great. But as Dunigan Folk, a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia who studies the effectiveness of interventions, says – reinforcement is still good. If we practice things that make us stronger, don’t we feel more happy moments? The good thing is that the practices that actually seem to increase people’s happiness are also healthy in our communities.

How do we actually measure happiness? Do we stick people in MRI machines? Asking them to pick a number on a scale? Is there anything else?

Scientists use brain scans to study happiness, as well as psychological measures that use scales, with good evidence behind them. Most happiness outcomes are reported, but happiness is limited and subjective. Since happiness goes up and down, these tests also capture people’s feelings about the time they’re done. But since our brains are naturally biased toward negativity, measuring long-term happiness — even if we do it ourselves — can show that we’re happier than we thought. That can help us see more opportunities for happiness in the future.

Why did you want to tackle the rhythm of happiness?

To be honest, I was worried about the name of the rhyme, because happy might sound like a meaningless word. But the pursuit of those positive feelings – happiness, contentment, well-being, purpose and connection – drives many of our individual and collective decisions, with mixed results. I am particularly interested in how we can look at many different fields of science – ecology, urban planning, economics, anthropology, history – from the perspective of improving the quality of our lives, especially our communities. us. It seems to be very timely when the world is feeling very angry. Also, even though I’m just starting out, it’s very difficult to talk on a daily basis with researchers, policy makers and others. about what makes them happy.

What else do you want to see?

The list is already very long. Can we be happy without backyards? How can we be inspired by orphaned otters? Also: smiles, parking lots, politics, climate change, Taylor Swift. I hope that I look back on all of these stories and see that they explored how our individual pursuit of happiness can improve the world around us.

This interview has been edited slightly for length and clarity. Also: Who is the happiest person you know? To nominate a family member, friend or colleague, please go Here or send an email with a brief description of them to Erin Anderssen at eanderssen@globeandmail.com.

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Paris 2024

‘It will certainly take time for me to realize what we have done well.’

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Here’s a startling statistic: Canada has won 12 gold medals in Olympic swimming since 1908, and Summer McIntosh is responsible for 25 percent of them. Josh Liendo captured silver in the 100m butterfly this long weekend, while Ilya Kharun took bronze. Ethan Katzberg has an impressive mustache and an even more impressive hammer throw – he flung it 84.12 meters to win gold. (Camryn Rogers is hoping to do the same in the women’s final today.) It’s a good thing the men are increasing their haul in Canada’s inventory — 11 of the 17 medals so far have been won by women. . Finally, the Canadian Olympic Committee revoked the accreditation of Rana Reider, coach of Andre De Grasse, after receiving information about its “correctness”. For all our Olympics news, visit the tgam.ca/olympics-daily.

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Goods

What else are we after?

At home: In the wake of Jasper’s destruction, Parks Canada is trying to understand a growing threat to our warm climate – pyrocumulonimbus clouds, or pryoCbs, which are like thunderstorms but are made of wildfires and winds. steady.

In other countries: Venezuela’s opposition leaders are calling on the country’s armed forces to withdraw their support for President Nicolas Maduro amid credible evidence that he has lost the election.

Outlaw Ocean: China is buying its way into restricted foreign fishing grounds, threatening livelihoods and further reducing fish stocks.

Outlaw Engine: In a landmark case – and the first antitrust ruling in the modern internet age – a US federal judge ruled that Google was acting illegally to maintain its control over internet search. the color

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