There have been many former studies and experiments in which behavioural scientists have made profound developments in relation to social psychology. To avoid repeating prior studies, the focus of one article was shifted towards the general understanding of well-being. “The Nonobvious Social Psychology of Happiness” by Ed Diener and Shigehiro Oishi mention five sets of findings in social psychology and describe their implications in regards to well-being, along with supporting findings from corresponding studies. The main focus of this study was to determine and conclude a set of components that are non-obvious to most laypeople.
The first component Diener & Oishi (2005) mention is the hedonic treadmill, which describes the process where…show more content… The presented supporting evidence from prior studies has made it very convincing that these components are non-obvious to laypeople. I can recall from previous spiritual texts that I have read, that the soul is always at a neutral state, and that temporary positive and negative emotions only affect the body, which I related to the idea of hedonic adaptation. As most laypeople, I did not know social relationships are necessary for proper functioning. My brother moved out of our house about a year ago and I now realize that I am extremely happier spending time with him and strengthening our relationship rather than going on a shopping spree and increasing my material wealth. I have also started to notice that when I get into arguments or disagreements with close friends or family, I view the relationship as temporarily less satisfying, and it takes about four or five new positive interactions to make up for it. I can relate this to the 3-1 ratio of positive thoughts to negative thoughts concept that I had learned about in a first year university course, meant to keep an individual in a positive state of mind. Having immigrated to Canada at age two, I am able to see the differences within the Indian culture and the Canadian culture, and consider myself a mix between the two. While a lucrative salary that comes with a dissatisfying job is considered more “well-off” in…show more content… In one article, it is described that ultimate happiness, which is a fundamental human goal, can only be attained through connecting with others, or else frustration and anxieties will arise (Haller & Hadler, 2006). A noteworthy study done on suicide, Durkheim (1973) expresses how positive social relationships protect people and are essential to satisfy basic necessities, strongly supporting that social relationships are in fact causal to happiness; they are not merely correlational.
Another article focuses on how feeling “mattered to a friend” also boosts happiness levels. Friendship is defined as an emotional bond that can affect the cognitive dimension of an individual (Demir, Ozen, Dogan, Bilyk, & Tyrell, 2011). Specifically, getting support from a friend in times of need was found to have a significant potential in increasing one’s well-being. Mattering to significant others was also found to be linked with an increase in self-concept and self-esteem, while also decreasing feelings of depression (Demir et al.,
