The Pursuit of Happiness
summary
Income raises reported happiness but measurement matters: a Gallup phone poll with binary mood questions produced a $60–90k plateau because the unhappiest 20% skewed results, while a sliding-scale app with 45,000 participants shows increases to at least $200k. Experiential purchases beat possessions for lasting happiness; small controlled envelopes ($5–$20) and a $5,000 bonus study show pro-social spending equals income’s effect on wellbeing. Eliminating negatives—automatic mopping like a Roomba or grocery pickup—also reliably raises day-to-day happiness.
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chapters (8)
- 0:00Introduction
- 3:34What is positive psychology
- 5:40Money and happiness research
- 11:00Experiences vs possessions
- 14:57Pro-social spending
- 20:33Miswanting and negatives
- 25:29Six happiness studies
- 27:14Summary and Q&A
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