The Science of Happiness: Experimentally Increasing Well-Being Through Gratitude, Kindness, and Conversation Interventions

Happiness not only feels good; it is good. Happy people are more productive, creative, and resilient; they have more friends and more stable marriages; and they show superior physical health, greater longevity, and higher incomes. Furthermore, it appears that feeling socially connected is the key to happiness. Fortunately, randomized controlled experiments have shown that people can intentionally increase both their happiness and their connectedness. In this presentation, Sonja Lyubomirsky will describe both earlier and brand new research from her lab revealing how, when, why, and for whom such practices as expressing gratitude, doing acts of kindness, and engaging in more social interactions work “best.” Experiments testing predictions from the “positive activity model” have begun to identify the critical factors that bolster the likelihood of succeeding at becoming happier. For example, what is the right “dose” of gratitude or kindness, and what are the most effective approaches to practicing these activities? Can pursuing happiness have benefits in other domains of people’s lives—for example, for their motivation, immune health, and popularity? Finally, she will propose several ways that engaging in presumably happiness-increasing activities might backfire.

Creating a Sustainable Wellbeing Future for Humans and the Rest of Nature

The world faces a convergence of social, environmental, and economic crises, which have a common cause: our addiction to an outdated development paradigm based on fossil-fuelled GDP growth at all costs. A different approach is needed based on the goal of the wellbeing of the entire integrated system of humans embedded in the rest of nature. Creating this future will require a credible system to replace reliance on GDP growth with a more comprehensive, dynamic understanding of the links among the many contributors to sustainable and inclusive human wellbeing and the wellbeing of the rest of nature. Central to this is the recognition, modelling, and valuation of the multifaceted contributions of natural and social capital.  It will also require acknowledging the extent of our lock-in or addiction to the current system and the appropriate strategies, interventions, and therapies needed to allow the transition to a sustainable and inclusive wellbeing economy and society.

ISQOLS 2025 Conference Dinner & 30th Anniversary Celebration

Join us for the ISQOLS 30th Anniversary Dinner & Celebration on 25 July 2025 at 19:00 at the European Convention Center Luxembourg—an evening of dinner, networking, and festivities included with your conference registration (guest passes available)