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If you are not happy, blame your genes: The Asian Age
London, Oct 03: The secret of happiness lies mainly in our genes, according to an analysis of the scientific keys to a contented life.
London, Oct 03: The secret of happiness lies mainly in our genes, according to an analysis of the scientific keys to a contented life.
A genetic propensity to good cheer is more important to happiness than a happy marriage, loyal friends, riches or religious faith, a New Scientist magazine study has found.
While marriage comes close after genes, one of the other important scientific keys to happiness identified by the study is making and valuing close friends. Research by Ed Diener of the University of Illinois has found that slum-dwellers in Kolkata are almost as happy as middle-class students in the city. "We think that social relationships are partially responsible," he said. But the extent to which people feel warm and fuzzy about their lives is half determined by transient events, and half by a set point of happiness, which is 90 per cent genetically determined, the twin studies have indicated.
This suggests strongly that people are naturally more inclined to cheerfulness or gloom. While the circumstances of individual lives can provoke joy or despair, two people with different genetic dispositions but similar life histories will react in very different ways.
The New Scientist survey, which was based on discussions with behavioural scientists and psychologists, rates making the most of your genes as the most critical of 10 factors that have been proved to contribute to personal happiness. It scores five out of five on the magazine’s scale of importance, two points more than any other factor.
David Lykken, a psychologist at Minnesota University, said that a major study of 4,000 adult twins born in Minnesota between 1936 and 1955 had illustrated the importance of genetics. It found that genetic variation accounted for between 44 per cent and 55 per cent of the difference between the twins’ levels of happiness. Other more obvious factors, such as income, marital status and education, accounted for no more than three per cent of differences.
Second place in the hierarchy of happiness is taken by getting married, which scores three out of five on the New Scientist scale.
According to The Times, an American study of information from 42 countries has shown that married people are consistently happier than singletons, accounting for between one and two per cent of the difference between individuals’ sense of well-being.
There is a clear boost to happiness from marriage, lasting from about a year before a couple’s wedding until a year afterwards, and while satisfaction levels tend to diminish in later years, a happy prolonged marriage has a permanent positive effect.
Friendship scores two-and-a-half out of five on the New Scientist scale. The magazine also identified low aspirations as an important factor, scoring two points. Research has shown that people who expect most from life are also most likely to be disappointed.
Religion has a clear benefit, worth one and a half points. A survey of 100 scientific studies revealed that 79 found that people with faith were happier or more satisfied with their lives than those without such beliefs.
The same benefit on the New Scientist scale was conferred by volunteering for charitable work. Looks, income, old age and intelligence also contribute very slightly to happiness, but none scores more than a single point on the scale.
A genetic propensity to good cheer is more important to happiness than a happy marriage, loyal friends, riches or religious faith, a New Scientist magazine study has found.
While marriage comes close after genes, one of the other important scientific keys to happiness identified by the study is making and valuing close friends. Research by Ed Diener of the University of Illinois has found that slum-dwellers in Kolkata are almost as happy as middle-class students in the city. "We think that social relationships are partially responsible," he said. But the extent to which people feel warm and fuzzy about their lives is half determined by transient events, and half by a set point of happiness, which is 90 per cent genetically determined, the twin studies have indicated.
This suggests strongly that people are naturally more inclined to cheerfulness or gloom. While the circumstances of individual lives can provoke joy or despair, two people with different genetic dispositions but similar life histories will react in very different ways.
The New Scientist survey, which was based on discussions with behavioural scientists and psychologists, rates making the most of your genes as the most critical of 10 factors that have been proved to contribute to personal happiness. It scores five out of five on the magazine’s scale of importance, two points more than any other factor.
David Lykken, a psychologist at Minnesota University, said that a major study of 4,000 adult twins born in Minnesota between 1936 and 1955 had illustrated the importance of genetics. It found that genetic variation accounted for between 44 per cent and 55 per cent of the difference between the twins’ levels of happiness. Other more obvious factors, such as income, marital status and education, accounted for no more than three per cent of differences.
Second place in the hierarchy of happiness is taken by getting married, which scores three out of five on the New Scientist scale.
According to The Times, an American study of information from 42 countries has shown that married people are consistently happier than singletons, accounting for between one and two per cent of the difference between individuals’ sense of well-being.
There is a clear boost to happiness from marriage, lasting from about a year before a couple’s wedding until a year afterwards, and while satisfaction levels tend to diminish in later years, a happy prolonged marriage has a permanent positive effect.
Friendship scores two-and-a-half out of five on the New Scientist scale. The magazine also identified low aspirations as an important factor, scoring two points. Research has shown that people who expect most from life are also most likely to be disappointed.
Religion has a clear benefit, worth one and a half points. A survey of 100 scientific studies revealed that 79 found that people with faith were happier or more satisfied with their lives than those without such beliefs.
The same benefit on the New Scientist scale was conferred by volunteering for charitable work. Looks, income, old age and intelligence also contribute very slightly to happiness, but none scores more than a single point on the scale.