David G. Myers - The Pursuit of Happiness: Discovering the Pathway to Fulfillment, Well-Being, and Enduring Personal Joy

Social psychologist David G. Myers has reviewed thousands of recent scientific studies conducted worldwide in search of the key to happiness. With wit and wisdom, he explodes some of the popular myths on the subject and presents specific techniques for finding true joy in living: Are most people happy?What are the inner traits of happy people?Are extroverts happier than introverts?Are men happier than women?Does religious faith promote inner peace and joy?Does well-being come with being well-off?Are happy children more likely to become happy adults?What part do friends play in personal happiness?Is age a factor in feeling happy?What can you do to improve your own sense of well-being? and much more

Chapter OneWhat Is Well-being?"If one thinks that one is happy, that is enough to be happy.Mme De La Fayette, Letter To Gilles Mé nageWe social scientists can count crimes. We can measure memories. We can assess intelligence. But how do we gauge happiness? Can we trust what people tell us? Oh, for a happiness thermometer.If we considered well-being a thing - if it meant being well off, being successful, being healthy - we could measure that thing. However, like Madame de La Fayette, social scientists view well-being as a state of mind. Well-being, sometimes called "subjective well-being" to emphasize the point, is a pervasive sense that life is good. Well-being outlasts yesterday's moment of elation, today's buoyant mood, and tomorrow's hard time; it is an ongoing perception that this time of one's life, or even life as a whole, is fulfilling, meaningful, and pleasant. It is what some people experience as joy - not an ephemeral euphoria, but 2 deep and abiding sense that, despite the day's woes, all is, ..