Claim OwnershipTHE HAPPY SCIENCE PODCAST
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© Center for Wellbeing, Welfare and Happiness
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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!
17 Episodes
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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
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
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
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
In this fun episode, we explore what happens when people hit the jackpot. Many of
us often dream of the big win, but does life really change when it happens? Will
wellbeing improve? Does the rush wear off or can the wellbeing be boosted for years,
or even decades? Tune in to hear economist Robert Östling from the Stockholm
School of Economics shares his insights from studying thousands of Swedish lottery
players to see what really changes when money arrives out of the blue, and what
stays surprisingly the same.
Link to the study:
https://www.nber.org/papers/w24667
Guest:
Professor Robert Östling
Does happiness make you more attractive, or does being attractive make you happier? In this episode, we explore the intriguing connection between how we feel and how we’re perceived. Professor Delin Sun of Duke University has conducted a brain study to uncover the secrets behind happiness and how attractive we are to others. Which comes first—being happy or being desirable? Tune in to find out, and see if a smile really is your best asset!
In this episode, we dive into a big no-no in relationships: infidelity. What’s the link between happiness and cheating? Does infidelity make couples less happy, or is unhappiness what drives them to cheat? Professor Olga Stavrova of University of Lübeck shares her research on why this connection matters and what it reveals about relationship dynamics. Tune in to explore how happiness and betrayal are more intertwined than you might think!
In this fun episode, we find out how people associate their happiness with politics and the government. Could a breakup with your partner make you want to dump the government too? In this episode, Professor Peter Esaiasson of University of Gothenburg shares insights from his multi-country research on how happiness impacts support for the government, and even good citizen behaviors as paying taxes and abiding laws. Tune in to explore how happiness, love, and politics are more connected than you might think!
https://ejpr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1475-6765.12335
In this fun episode, we tackle the age-old question: Do money and material things really buy happiness? Or could you find just as much (or even more) happiness living deep in the Amazon rainforest, in the mountains of Nepal, or in a desert village? Professor Eric Galbraith from McGill University shares insights from his unique research, where he compares the happiness of people in 19 small, remote villages and tribes around the world with those living in WEIRD society’s – Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich Democracies. Tune in to discover what his research reveals about the universal secrets to happiness!
https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2311703121
Is the air you’re breathing making you happy, or unhappy? In this episode, we explore how the quality of air can impact your mood, and even your overall happiness. Professor Paul Dolan of London School of Economics shares his surprising findings on how air quality influences well-being, to an extent that can even be comparable to making thousands of extra dollars or not. Tune in to discover how those good or bad “air days" might be affecting more than just your lungs!
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-benefit-cost-analysis/article/abs/bad-air-days-the-effects-of-air-quality-on-different-measures-of-subjective-wellbeing/E9967A81411253654AC3D934CDEE8FE0
In this fun episode, we explore how happiness - or unhappiness - spreads between couples. Does the happier partner rub off more, or is the other way around? Professor Olga Stavrova of University of Lübeck shares insights from her research on emotional contagion, revealing how partners affect each other's happiness and well-being in unexpected ways. Tune in to discover who holds the most influence in this happiness crossover and how these dynamics can even extend beyond couples to larger groups, like work teams!
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/19485506231207673
In this fun episode, we explore how looking at art can not onlyimpact happiness but also meaning in life. Professor Kathleen Vohs of Universityof Minnesota shares insights from her research on how people feel when lookingat fine and not so fine art. Surprisingly, both can have positive, but very different, effects. Tune in to discover what kinds of art might elevate your happiness or deepen your life’s meaning!
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2021.1975159
In this fun episode, we dive into the surprising impact on parental happiness when having one more kid of the same versus opposite sex. Professor Paul Dolan of London School of Economics shares insights from his research on how the dynamics of raising boys versus girls can influence parent wellbeing, over awhopping 20-year time span. Tune in to discover whether and how havingopposite or same sex kids really matters when it comes to parenting happiness!
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214804323000927
In this fun episode, we explore how your daily activities — whether you focus ona few things or vary between more — impact happiness. Professor Jordan Etkin ofDuke University shares insights from her research on how what you do canaffect happiness on a daily basis (or even by the hours and minutes!) Tune in todiscover how and why structuring your time is more important than you think!
https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/sites/default/files/documents/areas/fac/marketing/mogilner/Etkin%20Mogilner%20JCR%202016%20Variety%20and%20Happiness.pdf
In this fun episode, we explore how expensive or cheap pricesimpact your happiness, even for stuff you don’t want. Professor HelgeThorbjørnsen of Norwegian School of Economics shares insights from hisresearch on the surprising effects of advertised prices on happiness, friendlinessand even helpfulness. Tune in to discover how price tags can impact our feelingsand behaviors more than we think!
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/mar.22026
In this fun episode, we dive into what happens to happiness when your country is ranked the happiest in the world. How did Finland’s top spot affect its citizens' happiness, and how did Swedes feel about being ranked fourth? Professor Kristina Heinonen of Hanken School of Economics shares fascinating insights from her research on the impact of these rankings. Tune in to discover how national happiness rankings reflect – but also impact - how happy people feel!
Discover the science of happiness, one episode – one study!
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