Tiffany Thompson

Professor Sinclair
LBST 2301
2/13/18
Derek Bok, The Politics of Happiness, Princeton U Press, 2010.
Chapter 1: “What Researchers Have Discovered.”
For your notes, answer these questions:
1. Derek Bok quotes Ed Diener in defining happiness as (p. 9):
When a person experiences life satisfaction and frequent joy while not experiencing unpleasant emotions
frequently.
2. What is the relation between income and happiness? (Table 1, p. 10)
Average levels of happiness tend to be higher as you look higher on the income scale, so it can be inferred
more money means more happiness, to a certain extent. While it’s not a guarantee being rich will make
you happy, being less anxious about having enough money to meet basic needs (food, water, shelter etc.)
would make a person happier.
3. See p. 11, first full paragraph. What are two surprising results of studies on the effects of rising
income on happiness?
First, people’s satisfaction with life tends to stay the same even as their income level rises and falls
throughout their career. Second, average levels of life satisfaction have not risen much in the last 50yrs as
the average income has.
4. See pp. 11-14. What factors might account for these surprising results (#3 above)?
-Happier workers make more money, so the increase in income is a result of happiness instead of being
the cause of it.
-increase in negative factors (divorce, crime, etc) could be dulling the effects of income increase
-increase in income has largely gone to those already wealthy (top 20%)
-how one’s income compares to others is a more important factor than the income itself, so if everyone is
increasing together no one feels happier. People want to feel like they’re elite or the most successful.
-as people get more they spend more and want more (my grandpa’s theory)
5. 70% of college freshmen feel that making a lot of money is a very important goal. What are
Bok’s reactions to this finding (pp. 14-16)?
Students who go on to make a lot of money are more likely to be in positions of power or may be more
interesting in general which could make them happier, but students who aspire to that and do well (but not
AS well) will be unhappy because they’re disappointed and will continue trying to climb the ladder.
Focusing on money tends to cause the subject to neglect personal relationships which will leave them
unhappy, but people who make a lot of money because they were working hard at something they’re
interested in will be happier.
6. What six aspects of life are associated with lasting happiness (p.17)?

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Marriage, social relationships, employment, perceived health, religion, and quality of government
7. What are the effects of marriage on happiness? Of children? (pp. 17-19)
Marriage tends to improve life satisfaction and gives a boost to happiness for an undefined time period
(varies from couple to couple) and loss of a marriage through any means causes unhappiness for almost a
decade. People are happier when their choice on children lines up with life (ex. People who don’t want
kids and don’t have them are happier than people who didn’t want kids and have them), but beyond that
the effects of children on happiness is inconclusive and varies widely in both directions.
8. What observations does Bok make on the relationship between social relations and happiness?
Social relationships tend to cause people to be happier, but happier people tend to create more social
relationships.
9. What observations does Bok make on the relationship between employment and happiness?
The two are co-dependent, a happier person tends to like their job more and someone who enjoys their job
tends to be happier. However, loss of a job causes a sharp decrease in happiness.
10. What observations does Bok make on the relationship between health and happiness?
Disease only causes a drop in happiness for a short while, with the exception of terminal illness, chronic
pain, and depression.
11. What observations does Bok make on the relationship between religious belief and happiness?
Religion tends to make people happier, possibly because it gives them a sense of purpose and meaning to
their life.
12. What observations does Bok make on the relationship between the quality of government and
happiness?
A quality, stable government, that has been in place for a long time tends to make people happier
13. Skip to pp. 27-29. What is experience sampling? What are the results of experience sampling
in happiness studies?
Asking individuals about their feelings during different parts of their day. Subjects were generally happy
and only reported negative feelings 34% of the time, this method muted larger factors on happiness and
just focused on what caused happiness/unhappiness in everyday life.
14. Skim back over the chapter. What results on happiness studies did you find most surprising in
this reading? List at least two.
I was surprised to find out the effect having kids (while wanting kids) was so inconclusive. I would have
thought if you wanted a child and had a child then that child would bring happiness, but I guess there are
a lot more factors to consider such as long-term satisfaction with your partner and the difficulties of
having a child. I guess to me it was always a “labor of love” type situation and even though it was hard, if
it’s what you wanted, you’d be happier overall. I was also surprised when reading the health section. I’m
very glad people with disabilities brought on later in life find their happiness again, but I would have
thought it would always cause at least a small level of dissatisfaction.

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