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by Center for Wellbeing, Welfare and Happiness at the Stockholm School of Economics
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- 3 weeks ago15 min
Why Your Future Looks Bright (But Your Enemy’s Doesn’t) - with Professor Hallgeir Sjåstad
In this fun episode, we explore why people tend to believe that their future will be happier and more meaningful than their past. But does that optimism extend to everyone – or only to ourselves and the people we like? Tune in to discover what this reveals about hope, fairness, wishful thinking, and why realism may depend on whose future you’re imagining.Link to study: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3164Host: Professor Micael Dahlen Guest: Professor Hallgeir Sjåstad Producer: Sandra Charléz Editor: Nicholas Nikander Sound Engineer: Christer Tjäder and Daniel Högberg Music: Viktor Bergdahl
- 4 weeks ago16 min
Is It Easier to Be Happy in Anotther Language? How Language Shapes Happiness Ratings - with Political scientist Sofia Axelson
In this fun episode, we explore whether happiness means the same thing in different languages. Can the language you speak actually change how happy you say you are? Tune in to discover why it may be easier to say you are happy in English than in Swedish, and what that could mean for global happiness surveys and rankings.Link to study: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-024-00827-7Host: Professor Micael Dahlen Guest: Political scientist Sofia Axelsson Producer: Sandra Charléz Sound Engineer: Christer Tjäder and Daniel Högberg Music: Viktor Bergdahl
- Apr 14, 202615 min
What Happens to Your Happiness When You Take Money from a Charity? - with Assistant Professor Frank Martela
In this fun episode, we dig into a slightly uncomfortable question: what happens to our own happiness when we knowingly do something bad to others? We all know giving to charity feels good, but what about the opposite? Tune in to discover why doing good boosts happiness and meaning but doing harm does not always make us feel worse – especially when we find clever ways to justify it.Link to study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2021.104114 Host: Professor Micael Dahlen Guest: Assistant Professor Frank Martela Producer: Sandra CharlézEditor: Nicholas Nikander Sound Engineer: Christer Tjäder and Daniel Högberg Music: Viktor Bergdahl
- Apr 6, 202615 min
Does the U.S. Election Affect Happiness in Europe? with Assistant Professor Jareef Martuza
In this fun episode, we explore whether an election in one country can shape happiness, optimism, and even trust in democracy in other countries. A study using data from over 20,000 people in nine European countries during the U.S.s presidential election 2024 gives the answer. Tune in to discover why political wins and losses can ripple across oceans, why democracy satisfaction may be more fragile than we think, and whether these emotional shifts also change how good citizens we are.Host: Professor Micael Dahlen Guest: Assistant Professor Jareef Martuza Producer: Sandra Charléz Editor: Nicholas Nikander Sound Engineer: Christer Tjäder och Daniel Högberg Music: Viktor BergdahlStudy: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-024-00827-7
- Jul 1, 202517 min
S2:5 From Parents to Partners: How Divorces, DNA and Daily Connections Shape Our Wellbeing
In this fun episode, we look at how our social lives, with everything from supportive relationships to breakups, impact our wellbeing. Is the pain of a breakup the same for everyone? Can relationships protect our happiness over time? And what does your DNA have to do with any of it? Professor Ragnhild Bang Nes of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shares fascinating findings from a study of twins. Tune in to find out which social factors most strongly predict future happiness and how much of our social wellbeing might be shaped before we’re even born! Link to the study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11136-024-03832-8 Guest: Research Professor Ragnhild Bang Nes
- Jul 1, 202517 min
S2:4 Climbing the Wrong Ladder? What Happiness Rankings Might Be Missing
In this fun episode, we dig into a surprisingly overlooked question: What exactly are people thinking about when they rate their happiness on global surveys? Is Finland really the happiest country in the world or just the best at climbing metaphorical ladders? Researcher August Nilsson joins us to explain how the metaphorical “Cantril Ladder” works and reveal how tiny tweaks in how we ask about happiness can dramatically change the answers we get. What happens if we ask about harmony in life instead? Or if we ditch the ladder metaphor altogether? Tune in for a deep dive into the psychology behind how we measure happiness and whether we're asking the right questions at all. Link to the study: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-52939-y Guest: Researcher August Nilsson
- Jul 1, 202519 min
S2:3 The Urban Happiness Gap: Are City Dwellers Destined to Be Less Happy?
In this fun episode, we ask whether city life is secretly dragging down our happiness. More people than ever are living in cities, but does urban life come at the cost of happiness? Associate Professor Jens Fyhn Lykke Sørensen from the University of Southern Denmark shares insights from his research on Denmark’s urban–rural happiness gap. From the power of green spaces to the strength of local friendships, we explore why rural residents often report greater life satisfaction, and what city dwellers might do to catch up. Could a palm tree on your balcony make a difference? Tune in and find out. Link to the study: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/384554929_Why_are_City_Residents_Less _Happy_than_the_Rest_of_the_Population_in_Developed_Countries_Studying_the_ Urban-Rural_Happiness_Gap_in_Denmark_Using_Blinder-Oaxaca_Decomposition Guest: Associate Professor Jens Fyhn Lykke Sørensen
- Jul 1, 202515 min
S2:2 Born to Worry? How Genes and Life Events Shape Our Wellbeing
In this fun episode, we explore how stressful life events like financial strain or relationship conflicts can affect your life satisfaction and whether these life events are just a matter of bad luck, or partly your parents’ fault? Professor Ragnhild Bang Nes of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health shares insights from a unique twin study that untangles life experiences from biology. Tune in to discover how genes and environment work together to shape how we feel, and why not all bad life events impacts us the same way! Link to the study: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12144-025-07758-3 Guest: Research Professor Ragnhild Bang Nes
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About THE HAPPY SCIENCE PODCAST
Discover the science of happiness, one episode – one study! In this podcast, host Professor Micael Dahlen explores groundbreaking research with leading experts, uncovering the science behind what truly makes us happy. Whether it's relationships, work, politics, or daily habits, The Happy Science Podcast brings insights from the field in a fun, engaging and accessible way. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions and practical takeaways on how to live a happier, more fulfilling life—backed by science!
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