Fall 2013 Happiness Class Study Questions

Return to Happiness

September 5, 2013

1. Distinguish the Greek philosophical conceptions of happiness in Plato and Aristotle from the Greek cultural conception of happiness.

2. What is Plato's view of happiness?

3. What is Aristotle's view of happiness?

4. How can one use ordinary reflection on experiences of happiness to start theoretical reflection?

September 10

1. Follow major concepts introduced by Haidt, such as: adaptation, hedonic treadmill, set point theory, maximizers vs. satisficers.

2. What is Haidt's happiness formula and how might if be justified given his perspective?

3. What are "top down and bottom up theories" of LS? How do researchers try to assess this, according to Schimmack?

4. What role might "positive illusions" play in top down theories?

5. What are some explanations of the independence of NA and PA, according to Schimmack?

6. How are measurements, hypotheses, and constructs related?

September 12

1. What are some of the major correlates of happiness, according to Argyle's summary? Why does it require caution in identifying correlates as causes in general and in the case of happiness hypotheses in particular?

2. How do efforts to compare national subjective well being raise questions about the objectivity or universality of happiness?

3. What do we know from cross cultural (international) comparison of happiness data?

4. Compare and contrast the four theories for explaining cross cultural or international differences in SWB. What does each theory explain well or poorly about the differences?

September 17

1. Identify and consider the implications of the nature of the human brain for the problem of understanding happiness.