happy nudges - behavioural economics and happiness
TRANSCRIPT
HOW TO BE HAPPY
DR. PAULMARSDENPSYCHOLOGIST
@marsattacks
Behavioural Economics and “Happy Nudges”
3 Weeks
Smiling selfies
Photos of things that make you happy
Sending photos of things you think will make others happy
+22% happier
Smartphone happiness
Source: Chen, Y., Mark, G., & Ali, S. (2016). Promoting positive affect through smartphone photography. Psychology of Well-Being, 6(1), 1-16.
Positive Psychology
Science and practice of improving wellbeing
–Baruch Spinoza
“Everyone wants continuous and genuine happiness.”
What is this thing called happiness?
What is this thing called happiness?
Being happy in life Being happy with life
Being happy in lifeFrequency of positive affect
Active
AttentiveDetermined
Enthusiastic Excited
Inspired Interested
Proud Strong
Alert
Infrequency of negative affect
Afraid
DistressedGuilty
Hostile Irritable
Jittery Nervous
Scared Upset
Ashamed
Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. Journal of personality and social psychology,
Being happy with life
You Your Ideal Life
Overall satisfaction with life Memory, Experience, Anticipation
Few regrets
Regrets
Hedonia and Eudaimonia
Being happy in life Being happy with life Meaning/Purpose
BE & Happiness?Positive choice architecture?
• Positive nudge towards outcomes associated with positive feelings
• Positive nudge towards outcomes associated with ideals
• Positive reframing of past, present and future
What are the things that make people happy?
Genes 50% Activities
40%
Circumstances 10%
What are the things that make people happy?
It’s the little things “happy nudges”
Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. Penguin.
Sometimes big life events have small effects on happiness
Sometimes big life events have small effects on happiness
Sometimes big life events have small effects on happiness
Sometimes big life events have small effects on happiness
Sometimes big life events have small effects on happiness
Happy surprises and set-points
Although we may respond to unexpected positive events with short term surges in happiness, we return to our happiness set point or baseline (hedonic treadmill)
Happy surprise!
• Happiness happens when unexpected positive events happen, but we have a natural happiness set-point to which we return
“Happy nudges”• Little behavioural changes can make big differences to happiness
Expressing gratitude Cultivating optimismAvoiding
overthinking and social comparison
Practising acts of kindness
Nurturing relationships
Developing strategies for coping Learning to forgive Doing more activities
that truly engage you
Savoring life’s joys Committing to your goals
Practising religion and spirituality
Taking care of your body (eating well/
exercising)Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. Penguin.
“Happy nudges”• “Positive psychology” uses simple clinically validated behavioural techniques
to improve happiness
Every evening as you clean your teeth, think of three good things that happened to you that day, and ask yourself why they happened
“Happy nudges”
Autonomy Our universal need
for autonomy is about self-determination;
experiencing freedom, choice and
control.
Relatedness Our universal need
for relatedness is about giving and
experiencing attachment, security
and love.
Competence Our universal need for competence is
about experiencing mastery
achievement, and success.
• The ARC of Happiness (self-determination theory) - improving people’s sense of autonomy, relatedness or competence, improves happiness
Happy nudges
Autonomy vs. Helplessness – do we feel in control or do we feel helpless to
circumstance and systems?
Relatedness vs. Isolation – do we
feel cared for by others, or do we
feel left behind, alone and isolated?
Competence vs. Frustration – do we
experience mastery and achievement, or are our goals put out
of reach?
• President Trump’s campaign focused on the ARC of happiness
Happy nudges
• Activate Autonomy - How might a choice promote a sense of autonomy, freedom or control?
• Reward Relatedness - How might a choicehelp people care for and feel cared for by others?
• Cultivate Competence - How might a choice help people feel that more competent and proficient?
Promoting a sense of Autonomy (Stitch Fix, Nike)
Promoting a sense of Relatedness (CuteCircuit hugshirt, Nike/Lululemon communities)
Promoting a sense of Competence (Nike, Under Armour)
Customer Experience is Worthless
Memories of Customer Experience are Priceless
customer experience
we only remember the peak moment and the end moment
peak
end
we only remember the peak moment and the end moment
peak
end
remembered experience
Thinking, Fast and Slow
• The part you may have missed
• Happiness - it’s complicated…
• Happy experiences vs happy memories
• ‘Experiencing Self ’ vs ‘Remembering Self ’
PAIN
IN
TEN
SIT
Y10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
PATIENT A
PAIN
IN
TEN
SIT
Y
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
5 10 15 20
TIME (MINUTES)
PATIENT B
TIME (MINUTES)
5 10
Experienced more pain, remembered less pain
The Peak/End Rule
18 Positive Design Interventions to promote happiness
Brands with happiest users grow 2x category average
Brands with 5+ years sustained growth
have 2x happier users
Source Bain/Reichheld, 2011
The care of human life and happiness… is the only legitimate object of good government
The care of human life and happiness… is the only legitimate object of good behavioural economics
Thomas Jefferson 1809
–Jeremy Bentham
How can we become agents of positive change and put Behavioural Economics to the service of human
happiness?
“The greatest happiness for the greatest number.”