Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
An 8-month-long experimental study examined the immediate and longer term effects of regularly practicing two assigned positive activities (expressing optimism and gratitude) on well-being. More important, this intervention allowed us to explore the impact of two metafactors that are likely to influence the success of any positive activity: whether one self-selects into the study knowing that it is about increasing happiness and whether one invests effort into the activity over time. Our results indicate that initial self-selection makes a difference, but only in the two positive activity conditions, not the control, and that continued effort also makes a difference, but, again, only in the treatment conditions. We conclude that happiness interventions are more than just placebos, but that they are most successful when participants know about, endorse, and commit to the intervention.
Recommended Citation
Lyubomirsky, Sonja, et al. (2011). "Becoming happier takes both a will and a proper way: an experimental longitudinal intervention to boost well-being." Emotion 11(2), 391-402. DOI: 10.1037/a0022575
Copyright
American Psychological Association
Comments
This is a pre-copy-editing, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Emotion, volume 11, issue 2, 2011 following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available onlineat DOI:10.1037/a0022575.
This article may not exactly replicate the final version published in the APA journal. It is not the copy of record.