ED PS 5960 – 093 Second ClassED 5960093秒类.pptVIP

PLEASURE HAPPINESS Does pleasure make us happy? The Pursuit of Pleasure? Happiness develops our Brain Can Pleasure Make Us Happy The Dalai Lama has said that, although his life has relatively little pleasure, it has very great happiness. Seligman’s research: Students told to emphasize pleasure vs. service and self- sacrifice. What do we know so far? More money / possessions doesn’t bring happiness Happiness is a by-product We are often unable to predict what will bring us happiness. Pleasure habituates Prediction Problems Daniel Gilbert has demonstrated how we don’t predict accurately what will make us happy or sad. Personal experiment: Predict before you engage in activities; hold yourself accountable. How much enjoyment did you actually get? How do you account for the difference? Habituation Problems The hedonic treadmill: We quickly adapt and take pleasures for granted. We have to adapt so as to notice change This can be addressed with savoring: Focus intently on what you are experiencing: chew slowly when eating, fill your senses with what you see, hear, smell . . . Savoring Focus intently on ordinary experiences. Chew food slowly and thoughtfully. Drink slowing and attentively. Listen to a friend with intensity. Keep your mind quiet as you listen. Notice the daily experience of walking. * Today we will talk about the role of pleasure in the good life. Does “having stuff” make us happier? (Materialism) Does having pleasure make us happier? (Hedonism) Does expanding our abilities and capacities make us happier? (Eudaimonia) WHAT GOOD IS HAPPINESS? As you see, there is little relationship between “stuff” and happiness. Poland, very poor, us as happy as Japan, a very wealthy country. (We should seek happiness because we are more human (eudaimonic) when happy) What’s Good About Positive Emotions? It feels good to feel good (SO?) Broaden and build (Fredrickson, 2002) I call this the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions because positive emotions appe