​The Science of Happiness: 75 Years of Studies Show These Conclusions

Some philosophers and thinkers have proposed the provocative idea that, although happiness could be described as the most important objective in the lives of human beings, This is not really a final 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 research on it that lasts 75 years: the Grant Study.

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 set by their parents, 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 to mitigate the symptoms of this disorder than to let it express itself, better to spend time and effort correcting these behaviors than to make them continue to express themselves, etc.

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

Nowadays, many of these volunteers are still alive and continue to appear for interviews and medical exams newspapers to let researchers know how their health and outlook on life are changing. In turn, some of the scientists who promoted the research during its first years of development are still 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 being 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 we have tried to answer has been: what makes us happy?

According to Robert Waldinger the current director of this project, the answer is: warm social relationships based on trust 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 you have been able to count on throughout your life: the quality of these relationships is also relevant, the degree to which we know we can trust them.

What makes us happy

Of course you can always be more specific. Within the idea that friendly and to some 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 doesn’t 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 likely that we will not reach the levels of happiness that we would like. 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 like John Bowlby discovered, having had an upbringing in which our parents provided us with affection is a surprisingly important factor that leaves an important mark on our psychological development when we reach adulthood. Having felt helpless during our first years of life makes us see happiness further away

3. Social relationships are also useful

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.