Does social media usage really make people miserable? Fact-checking claims about the psychology of Facebook
keywords:
social media / Facebook / well-being / happiness / mental health
Does social media usage really make people miserable? Fact-checking claims about the psychology of Facebook
There’s been a lot of talk in the news recently about Facebook, and much of the discussion has centered on Facebook’s role in politics and journalism and user privacy. But there are other discussions about Facebook’s product itself, focusing on users’ well-being and psychological health. Specifically, some political commentators...
/ moreThe reason that you need to feel good about yourself in order to be happy might not be what you think it is
keywords:
culture / relational mobility / happiness / self-esteem
The reason that you need to feel good about yourself in order to be happy might not be what you think it is
Do you feel the need to feel good about yourself in order to be happy? Research suggests that if you have a lot of opportunities to make new friends, it is more likely that you will answer this question with a ‘yes’ than when you have more of a set group of people you spend time with. In this blog, I will describe the recent research on the influence of relational mobility and how it relates to the way in which we develop our self-esteem and happiness. / more
When having meaning in life helps – and why
keywords:
hunter-gatherers / meaning / happiness / uncertainty
When having meaning in life helps – and why
This blog examines the search for meaning in life and gives an explanation for why people seek meaning. Briefly, modern life (relative to our hunter-gatherer past) places people in an uncertain position, and meaning in life can give us a sense that difficulties in life will pay-off. / more
Variety and motivation: The crux to lasting happiness
keywords:
hedonic adaptation / happiness / motivation / variety
Variety and motivation: The crux to lasting happiness
Most people seek lasting happiness but only a few are aware of the fact that false expectations and a tedious lifestyle can speed up the disappearance of happiness. In this blog post, I explain how exciting activities and motivation may curb the dwindling of happiness. / more
Does Exercise Truly Make You Happy?
Does Exercise Truly Make You Happy?
A healthy mind in a healthy body or mens sane in corpore sano, as Decimus Junius Juvenalis put it in his time, is a phrase that seems to imply some causal relationship between exercise and a sound mind. However, when Juvenalis (one of the great Roman satirists of his time) made himself immortal with these words, he at least seemed to care to make a causal statement. / more