The Happiness Hypothesis
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Happiness Syllabus 3-28-09
The Pursuit of Happiness Political Science 192 SSB 353 Darren Schreiber Spring 2009 Social Science Building 367 (858) 534-1854 [email protected] Class Meets: Monday 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. on April 6 & 20, May 4 & 18, June 1 Office Hours: Thursday, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. My Mission as a Teacher: “To enable my students to learn joyfully, think clearly, read carefully, and write well.” Abstract The Declaration of Independence describes the pursuit of happiness as an inalienable right. Economists are investigating subjective well-being. And, positive psychology is providing new insights. How might political science contribute to our individual and collective pursuit of happiness? Books Required: Jonathan Haidt (2006) The Happiness Hypothesis ($10.85) Recommended: Martin Seligman (2005) Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment ($10.20) Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1998) Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life ($10.17) Topics & Readings Meeting 1 (Monday, April 6th) – Introduction (Book Group 1/Articles Group 5) Alexander Weiss (2008) “Happiness Is a Personal(ity) Thing: The Genetics of Personality and Well-Being in a Representative Sample” Psychological Science (6 pages) Christopher K. Hsee and Reid Hastie (2006) Decision and experience: why don’t we choose what makes us happy? Trends in Cognitive Sciences (7 pages) Carol Graham (2005) “The Economics of Happiness: Insights on globalization from a novel approach” World Economics (15 pages) Haidt The Happiness Hypothesis -
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Fall 2005
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College Fall 2005 Course Pro-Seminar on Sociological Theory (SOCI 6333) Time Tuesday, 7:15-10:00 p.m. Place North 228 Instructor David E. Pearson, Ph.D. Office South 295 Phone 882-7265 Email [email protected] Office Hours Monday-Thursday 12:05-1:30 (and by appointment) Description: During the Fall 2005 semester, SOCI 6333 examines the assumptions of neo-Darwinian theory and its relevance for sociology. The major neo-Darwinian concepts examined are three: sexual selection, kin selection, and reciprocal altruism. Format: Classes will include both lectures and discussions in which students assume primary responsibility for analyzing the week’s readings. Given this format, it is required that all readings be completed prior to the class session. Attendance: Regular class attendance is expected. More than one unexcused absence will result in a lowering of your final grade. Make-Up Policy: You are responsible for all readings and class materials missed due to absences. A grade of zero will be given when you are not present to take an examination, give a presentation, or when written work is handed in late. Make-ups and extensions will be given only in documented instances of emergency or extreme illness. Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who engage in scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and expulsion. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, or any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts. -
Leadership, Followership, and Evolution Some Lessons from the Past
Leadership, Followership, and Evolution Some Lessons From the Past Mark Van Vugt University of Kent Robert Hogan Hogan Assessment Systems Robert B. Kaiser Kaplan DeVries Inc. This article analyzes the topic of leadership from an evo- Second, the literature focuses on leaders and tends to lutionary perspective and proposes three conclusions that ignore the essential role of followers (Hollander, 1992; are not part of mainstream theory. First, leading and Yukl, 2006). Third, research largely concentrates on prox- following are strategies that evolved for solving social imate issues of leadership (e.g., What makes one person a coordination problems in ancestral environments, includ- better leader than others?) and rarely considers its ultimate ing in particular the problems of group movement, intra- functions (e.g., How did leadership promote survival and group peacekeeping, and intergroup competition. Second, reproductive success among our ancestors?) (R. Hogan & the relationship between leaders and followers is inher- Kaiser, 2005). Finally, there has been little cross-fertiliza- ently ambivalent because of the potential for exploitation of tion between psychology and disciplines such as anthro- followers by leaders. Third, modern organizational struc- pology, economics, neuroscience, biology, and zoology, tures are sometimes inconsistent with aspects of our which also contain important insights about leadership evolved leadership psychology, which might explain the (Bennis, 2007; Van Vugt, 2006). alienation and frustration of many citizens and employees. This article offers a view of leadership inspired by The authors draw several implications of this evolutionary evolutionary theory, which modern scholars increasingly analysis for leadership theory, research, and practice. see as essential for understanding social life (Buss, 2005; Lawrence & Nohria, 2002; McAdams & Pals, 2006; Nettle, Keywords: evolution, leadership, followership, game the- 2006; Schaller, Simpson, & Kenrick, 2006). -
Work, Wisdom, and Happiness BSPA-GB 3110.30 Mondays 6-9 Pm Beginning 2/11/19, Room Tba BELOW IS the SYLLABUS from 2018
Work, Wisdom, and Happiness BSPA-GB 3110.30 Mondays 6-9 pm beginning 2/11/19, room tba BELOW IS THE SYLLABUS FROM 2018. THE SPRING 2019 COURSE WILL BE SIMILAR. THE MAIN READING IS CAROLINE WEBB’S BOOK Professor: Jonathan Haidt, [email protected], Office hours: Mondays after class; Thursdays 4-6 in KMC 7-98 Course Overview: For centuries, work was regarded as nothing but toil— a requirement for earning one's daily bread. But in recent decades, expectations about work have been transformed, as has its very nature. While it still provides one’s daily bread, it is also regarded as a major opportunity for people to find purpose, meaning, and happiness in their lives. In this course we'll study the latest research on what makes people happy at work, on how happiness at work improves the quality of work, and on what makes a career not just successful but meaningful. We will also discuss some of the impediments—both individual and organizational—to doing meaningful and satisfying work. Students will develop their own visions of their ideal career, and of the ideal company they’d like to lead or work for. They will also begin making changes to their daily lives, to improve their chances of success and happiness. Course Requirements: 1) 35% of the grade will be based on your class participation, which is not just the quantity of your comments but the nature of your engagement with the class. 2) 20% will be based on 4 one-page integration papers that you’ll submit by 10 am on the day of each class. -
The Happiness Advantage
THE HAPPINESS ADVANTAGE TODAY YOU’RE GONNA… Directly experience a variety of methods for increasing happiness. YAY! Identify a variety of activities that support your happiness Create a personal plan for incorporating more happy-making activities into your life. HEY, LET’S WATCH THIS VIDEO… “The Happiness Advantage: Research linking happiness and success” - Shawn Achor http://www.ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work.html KEY POINTS AND INSIGHTS FROM VIDEO The public library is the center of public happiness first, of public education, next. John Cotton Dana ULA Youth Services Round Table Fall Workshop | September 18, 2015 | (CC BY-SA 3.0 US) Peter Bromberg | peterbromberg.com 3 gratitudes 2 Each day, write three things for which you are grateful. September 18 happiness advantage happiness 1. 2. 3. September 19 1. 2. 3. September 20 1. 2. 3. September 21 1. Happiness is not a goal...it's a by-product 2. of a life well lived. 3. Eleanor Roosevelt September 22 1. 2. 3. ULA Youth Services Round Table Fall Workshop | September 18, 2015 | (CC BY-SA 3.0 US) Peter Bromberg | peterbromberg.com ingredients for happiness 3 Write down one positive experience from the last 24 hours advantage happiness Write down three things that inspire a feeling of gratitude. Exercise 3-5 Minutes Meditate/Pray/Mindful Breathing Perform an act of kindness or express appreciation to someone The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts. S t r e t c h Marcus Aurelius Pet a pet (a furry pet!) or hug or cuddle with a friend or loved one Spend time with someone you feel good around (“resonant relationship”) Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming Dealer’s Choice: What else facilitates your happiness? gardeners who make our souls blossom. -
Humanum Review Humanum Issues in Family, Culture & Science
3/5/2020 Searching for Happiness On an Elephant's Back | Humanum Review Humanum Issues in Family, Culture & Science Issue 4 Searching for Happiness On an Elephant's Back COLET C. BOSTICK Haidt, Jonathan, The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom (Basic Books, 2006). In the beginning of The Everlasting Man, G.K. Chesterton proposes that “there are two ways of getting home; and one of them is to stay there. The other is to walk round the whole world till we come back to the same place.” At the end of The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom, Jonathan Haidt concludes that “we can choose directions in life that will lead to satisfaction, happiness, and a sense of meaning [but] we can’t simply select a destination and walk there directly.” The juxtaposition of these two images of the search for happiness as a journey lays bare a fundamental question for reflective people in the 21st century: If it’s “not the destination, but the journey” that gives one a sense of purpose, does one need a destination at all? Chesterton and the Western Tradition assert that life’s journey is a quest, but, for moderns like Haidt, life is at best a walkabout in the wilderness. Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist specializing in the field of positive psychology, the study of behaviors and conditions that lead to human flourishing. The Happiness Hypothesis was written in 2006, while Haidt was a professor at the University of Virginia trying to compress the entire discipline of psychology into a four-month semester. -
Altruism, Morality & Social Solidarity Forum
Altruism, Morality & Social Solidarity Forum A Forum for Scholarship and Newsletter of the AMSS Section of ASA Volume 3, Issue 2 May 2012 What’s so Darned Special about Church Friends? Robert D. Putnam Harvard University One purpose of my recent research (with David E. Campbell) on religion in America1 was to con- firm and, if possible, extend previous research on the correlation of religiosity and altruistic behavior, such as giving, volunteering, and community involvement. It proved straight-forward to show that each of sev- eral dozen measures of good neighborliness was strongly correlated with religious involvement. Continued on page 19... Our Future is Just Beginning Vincent Jeffries, Acting Chairperson California State University, Northridge The beginning of our endeavors has ended. The study of altruism, morality, and social solidarity is now an established section in the American Sociological Association. We will have our first Section Sessions at the 2012 American Sociological Association Meetings in Denver, Colorado, this August. There is a full slate of candidates for the ASA elections this spring, and those chosen will take office at the Meetings. Continued on page 4... The Revival of Russian Sociology and Studies of This Issue: Social Solidarity From the Editor 2 Dmitry Efremenko and Yaroslava Evseeva AMSS Awards 3 Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences, Russian Academy of Sciences Scholarly Updates 12 The article was executed in the framework of the research project Social solidarity as a condition of society transformations: Theoretical foundations, Bezila 16 Russian specificity, socio-biological and socio-psychological aspects, supported Dissertation by the Russian foundation for basic research (Project 11-06-00347а). -
Moral Implications of Darwinian Evolution for Human Reference
Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2006 Moral Implications of Darwinian Evolution for Human Reference Based in Christian Ethics: a Critical Analysis and Response to the "Moral Individualism" of James Rachels Stephen Bauer Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Christianity Commons, Ethics in Religion Commons, Evolution Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Bauer, Stephen, "Moral Implications of Darwinian Evolution for Human Reference Based in Christian Ethics: a Critical Analysis and Response to the "Moral Individualism" of James Rachels" (2006). Dissertations. 16. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/16 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF DARWINIAN EVOLUTION FOR HUMAN PREFERENCE BASED IN CHRISTIAN ETHICS: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND RESPONSE TO THE “MORAL INDIVIDUALISM” OF JAMES RACHELS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Stephen Bauer November 2006 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3248152 Copyright 2006 by Bauer, Stephen All rights reserved. -
1 This File Contains a Version of Chapter 5 from the Book The
1 This file contains a version of chapter 5 from the book The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion© by Jonathan Haidt. This version has been edited slightly to be used as a stand-alone reading as part of the OpenMind Library. The first four chapters of the book present research showing that moral judgments are based primarily on intuitions and emotions, which arise immediately when people hear a story, or read a newspaper article, or hear gossip. These rapid intuitive reactions then drive our reasoning. Moral reasoning is largely done post-hoc, in the seconds after we have made a moral judgment. It is done to help us justify our judgments to other people. The book uses the metaphor that the mind is divided like a small rider (conscious reasoning) on the back of a large elephant (all the automatic intuitive processes that occur rapidly and often outside of conscious awareness). The rider-and-elephant metaphor is helpful for understanding why it’s almost impossible to win a political argument: each person’s “rider” composes arguments aimed at the other person’s rider, but the elephant is really in charge. Unless you can change the elephant, you can’t persuade the other person. Chapter five begins the analysis of why moral judgments differ across cultures, including the “cultures” of left and right in many countries. CHAPTER 5 Beyond WEIRD Morality I got my Ph.D. at McDonald’s. Part of it, anyway, given the hours I spent standing outside of a McDonald’s restaurant in West Philadelphia trying to recruit working-class adults to talk with me for my dissertation research. -
Alemany, Ricard
1 As I finished my first year of the MBA, one of my mentor’s advice was to read. Used to reading case studies, the question really was “what books should I read?”. After two years at IESE, and experiencing first hand the breadth and depth of knowledge shared from IESE Faculty, I thought the most valuable advice on what to read was right in front of me. How could I continue to learn from professors beyond the classroom, once the MBA path comes to an end. I thought a reading list from IESE Faculty could serve not just me, but my whole class and perhaps future IESE graduates, as a guide to continue learning. Therefore, I asked professors for book recommendations that would inspire and guide us in our future endeavors. The document that follows is the result of it. I hope you find this document insightful and useful. I would like to thank all the participating professors for their recommendations and participation in the project and for sharing their knowledge not only in class, but also beyond it. Additionally, I am grateful for the help and patience of Eduardo Pérez (IESE MBA 2019), the creative genius, who has given shape of the document that I here present to you. Antonio Recio Sanromán. " Our brain is like our body: it needs exercise. If you don’t read at least one good book every month, you will lose most of the good intellectual and analytical shape you got during the MBA reading every day case after case… So, don’t stop reading. -
Edge WHAT MAKES PEOPLE VOTE REPUBLICAN? by Jonathan Haidt
Edge: WHAT MAKES PEOPLE VOTE REPUBLICAN? By Jo... http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/haidt08/haidt08_index.html Home About Edge Features Edge Editions Press Edge Search Subscribe ...the second rule of moral psychology is that morality is not just about how we treat each other (as most liberals think); it is also about binding groups together, supporting essential institutions, and living in a sanctified and noble way. When Republicans say that Democrats "just don't get it," this is the "it" to which they refer. WHAT MAKES PEOPLE VOTE REPUBLICAN? [9.9.08] By Jonathan Haidt JONATHAN HAIDT is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, where he does research on morality and emotion and how they vary across cultures. He is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom. Jonathan Haidt's Edge Bio Page Further reading on Edge: Moral Psychology and the Misunderstanding of Religion By Jonathan Haidt [9.22.07] THE REALITY CLUB: Daniel Everett, Howard Gardner, Michael Shermer, Scott Atran, James Fowler, Alison Gopnik, Sam Harris, James O'Donnell BLOGWATCH WHAT MAKES PEOPLE VOTE REPUBLICAN? What makes people vote Republican? Why in particular do working class and rural Americans usually vote for pro-business Republicans when their economic interests would seem better served by Democratic policies? We psychologists have been examining the origins of ideology ever since Hitler 1 of 9 9/21/08 10:40 PM Edge: WHAT MAKES PEOPLE VOTE REPUBLICAN? By Jo... http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/haidt08/haidt08_index.html sent us Germany's best psychologists, and we long ago reported that strict parenting and a variety of personal insecurities work together to turn people against liberalism, diversity, and progress. -
Sex, Survival, & Evolutionary Social Psychology
Sex, Survival, & Evolutionary Social Psychology Winter 2017 Tues/Thurs 10:00 – 11:30am 1360 East Hall Professor GSI Dr. Joshua Ackerman Iris Wang 3227 East Hall 3232 East Hall [email protected] [email protected] Professor Office Hours GSI Office Hours By appointment Thursdays 11:30-1:30 Course description Evolutionary Social Psychology represents a big-picture approach to understanding human behavior that has gained increasing attention—and notoriety—in recent years. An evolutionary approach posits that our brains and bodies act as specialized tools to address problems that affected our ancestors’ abilities to survive and reproduce, and continue to affect us today (though in the modern world, these tools sometimes create challenges in addition to solving them). From this perspective, principles of natural selection and sexual selection are applied to (1) “problems” such as aggression, friendship, attraction, and parenting as well as to (2) functional “solutions” to these problems, such as memory, reasoning, emotion, and self-control. In this class, we will re- examine traditional topics in social psychology through the lens of evolutionary theory in order to take a fresh look at the adaptive nature of who we are. We will also consider more unique topics that are particularly relevant to this scientific intersection of biology, economics and psychology, including animal behavior, disease, genes, and many of the common misunderstandings and critiques about evolutionary approaches. In doing so, we will continually ask “why” people think