Hidden Brain You 2.0: The Path to Contentment + Your Questions Answered on Conversations
Jul 14, 2025
Psychologist Iris Mauss, who studies happiness at UC Berkeley, reveals why chasing happiness can often make it more elusive, stressing the value of emotional acceptance and social connections. Behavioral scientist Alison Wood Brooks from Harvard shares expert advice on improving conversations—like handling chatty or quiet partners and minimizing interruptions. They emphasize setting clear conversational goals and how embracing distress can lead to deeper relational bonds and greater contentment.
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Iris Mauss's Happiness Paradox
- Iris Mauss achieved tenure at UC Berkeley but was surprised to still feel worries and imperfect happiness.
- During a vacation in Italy, she experienced intrusive worries despite ideal expectations, highlighting happiness's elusiveness.
Birthday Party Disappointment
- Iris Mauss planned a perfect birthday party for her son, but rain and mishaps disrupted the event.
- Despite efforts, the party was a disappointment, illustrating how expectations and reality often misalign.
The Happiness Pursuit Paradox
- The more people intend to be happy, the more they paradoxically experience lower happiness and more depressive symptoms.
- High expectations of happiness often lead to disappointment and undermine actual happiness.
