TED Talks Daily The science of happiness with Laurie Santos | How to Be a Better Human
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Dec 29, 2023 
Laurie Santos, a Yale psychology professor and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, dives into the science of happiness. She highlights that comparison can diminish joy and shares fascinating insights from monkey behavior that mirror human experiences of happiness. Santos discusses the importance of addressing negative emotions for personal growth and emphasizes the role of social connections in well-being. She also challenges the common belief that money equates to happiness, advocating for valuing time and gratitude over wealth.
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Monkey Economics
- Laurie Santos studied monkeys' economic decisions using tokens as currency.
- Monkeys, like humans, displayed biases like overpaying attention to risk and social comparison.
Social Comparison
- Monkeys were content with their fruit until they saw others receiving more or better fruit.
- This highlights the negative impact of social comparison on happiness.
Student Unhappiness
- Laurie Santos observed high levels of unhappiness among Yale students, despite their achievements.
- This reflects a broader mental health crisis among college students nationally.