Discussion - The Psychology of Happiness

Dr. Dan Gilbert is a Harvard psychologist who studies happiness, a psychological experience so important that it is included in the most famous phrase from the Declaration of Independence: "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness". So, what is known about the psychology of happiness? Listen to an excellent talk (about 20 min) by Dr. Gilbert describing some of his experiments and what they suggest about the nature of happiness.

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html (Links to an external site.)

Questions: What is the most surprising thing you learned about happiness from Dr. Gilbert's talk? Can you think of some ways to apply what you learned from the talk to your own life?