Positive Psych Week 3

Written Paper: Increasing Happiness 

If you wanted to change yourself to be happier than you currently are, what would you do? Would you force yourself to smile more? Would you drink more caffeine or alcohol to increase your positive mood? Would you try to make more money? In this activity, you will have the opportunity to experiment with, then reflect upon, a strategy for increasing daily happiness.

In a two- to three-page paper, please address the items below.

1. What is the “happiness set point”?
2. Describe two myths our culture holds about what will lead us to happiness. (That is, what do we think will lead us to happiness, but according to research, does not actually lead us to happiness?)
3. Describe two of the “6 Habits of Happiness”, according to the Greater Good Science Center, and suggest one strategy for each that researchers have studied that can be used with these habits to increase a person’s happiness.
4. Choose one strategy or habit that has been shown to increase happiness. Adopt it for seven days. Describe the strategy or habit you chose, the research findings on that strategy, and your own experience using the strategy. How did it impact your daily level of happiness?