CSUB Fall 2006
Psychology 477 The Economics of Happiness: CRN 42268
Instructor:
Ryan T. Howell, Ph. D. E-mail:
Office Hours: MWF 2:00 – 3:00, & TR 12:00 – 1:00
or By appointment.
Meeting time:
Lecture MW 3:35 – 5:35 DDH F 100 (I Block)
Textbooks:
None. PDFs will be downloaded from WebCT.
Class Goal:
This course surveys the basic psychological theories attempting to explain the correlation between income and happiness. Topics to be covered will be: the history of the small income-happiness relation; theory development to explain relation; divergent explanations in economics and psychology; current and future directions of field. Prerequisite: None
This goal leads to the following objectives:
(1) Describes and explains a variety of significant elements of content and/or facts in the areas of positive psychology.
(2) Explains how specific behavior would be understood differently by two paradigms (psychological and economic) that are both able to offer sensible explanations for it.
(3) Evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of evidence and arguments supporting specific psychological hypotheses.
Course Requirements and Grading:
Course requirements include the completion of:
(1) Class attendance (200 total points; 10 points each)
(2) 10 article critiques (200 total points; 20 points each)
(4) 10 out of class exercises (200 total points; 20 points each)
(5) 1 Summary Paper (200 total points)
(6) 1 Student Presentation (200 total points)
Grading Scale (as percentage 1000 total points):
94-100. = A 80-82.9 = B- 67-69.9 = D+
90-93.9 = A- 77-79.9 = C+ 63-66.9 = D
87-89.9 = B+ 73-76.9 = C 60-62.9 = D-
83-86.9 = B 70-72.9 = C- 00-59.9 = F
Major Dates to keep in mind:
September 19 Last day to Add classes.
October 2 Last Day to Withdraw from Classes without a “W” being recorded; withdrawals from classes after this date and continuing through the next four-week period will be permitted only for serious and compelling reasons and require written approval by the dean or department chair.
October 30 Last Day to Withdraw from Classes for a Serious and Compelling Reason.
November 10 HOLIDAY – Veterans Day observed – Campus Closed.
November 20 Last Day of Classes
November 21, 22 Study / Reading day
Class Organization and Policies:
(1) FAQ: Do I have to come to class?
a. Yes.
b. Attendance is not mandatory. But it is graded.
(2) All PDFs will be posted on WebCT.
a. It is expected that ALL student will learn how to access their WebCT account in order to download these documents before class and during lab.
b. Any questions about how to access WebCT can be answered during my office hours.
(3) Office hours are first-come first serve.
a. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule optional appointments by sending me an email with a specified date and time when the student is available to meet.
b. No appointments are taken during office hours. Also, I will not make appointments in hallways, classrooms, restrooms, or in my office. All appointments must be made electronically.
(4) No make-up work is given unless under extreme circumstances (e.g., death of family member, car accident, personal medical emergency requiring hospitalization).
a. Evidence through paper documentation of the extreme circumstance is required (e.g., a doctor’s note, a copy of a death certificate).
b. All make-up work should be completed no later than 14 days after the originally assignment.
c. If make up work is not completed, the student will receive zero points for that assignment, quiz.
(5) All other University standards for academic honesty (absolutely no plagiarism or collaboration) are applicable to all summaries and presentations.
a. If any student has concerns over what constitutes plagiarism or collaboration, it is expected that the student will ask any relevant question during office hours. Additionally, Michelle Jackson (Judicial Affairs; X2260, ) can be contacted with questions of what constitutes academic dishonesty.
b. By taking the first quiz, the student is accepting responsibility for knowing and understanding the CSUB academic honesty policy. Ignorance is not an excuse.
c. Any cases of academic dishonesty will result in an F for the class. No exceptions.
Article critiques:
Each article you will read has been written by well-respected psychological or economic faculty member, as was peer-reviewed before being published. However, this does not mean that each article is not open to critique. You will be required to write a one page (12 point font) critique of each article you read. Here are some helpful tips so you can write an effective critique.
· Begin with a brief (3-5 sentences) summary of the article. Compose a one-sentence statement of the purpose and conclusion of the article.
· Before you begin your evaluation:
§ jot down your first impression of the material, especially how useful you think it might be to you and to others (e.g., if everyone knew this information, would people change the way they feel, think, or behave?)
§ Identify points in the article that you react to with:
§ agreement (I have read elsewhere that X was the key to happiness)
§ disagreement (the authors say that X is not related to happiness, but they did not even measure X!)
§ questions, confusion, or total bewilderment (I have no idea what an X is…)
§ More importantly state why you agree or disagree with a point in the article.
· Compose a one-sentence statement of your evaluation of the article.
· Write one-sentence statements that support your evaluation by pointing out specific strengths and weaknesses of the article. Together, these statements should answer the questions “how do I value this article and why do I feel that way.”
· The purpose for your summary/critique is to enable you to broaden your knowledge in a specific area and continually question and evaluate and also impart knowledge upon others.
Class Schedule
Day / Date / Topic / Article and critique(Due this Class) / Out-of-class exercise
(Due this class)
1 / 9/13 / Class introduction / syllabus / – / Data Collection
2 / 9/18 / What is positive psychology? / Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5-14. / –
3 / 9/20 / What is positive psychology (part II)? / Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103-110. / –
4 / 9/25 / How do people define happiness? / – / What is happiness interview
5 / 9/27 / Life satisfaction and happiness. / Myers, D. G., & Diener, E. (1995). Who is happy? Psychological Science, 6, 10-19. / –
6 / 10/2 / The happiness formula. / · The recipe for happiness (BBC News)
· Bhutan’s happiness formula (BBC News) / –
7 / 10/4 / No Class:
Measurement of SWB I / – / Complete well-being profile
8 / 10/9 / Measurement of SWB II / Diener, E. (1994) Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities. Social Indicators Research, 31, 103-157. / –
9 / 10/11 / Measurement of SWB III / – / How to measure happiness interview
10 / 10/16 / Will money make you happy? / Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1999). If we are so rich, why aren’t we happy? American Psychologist, 54, 821-827.
11 / 10/18 / Will money make you happy? / – / Money and happiness interview
12 / 10/23 / Will money make you happy? / Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2002). Will money increase subjective well-being? Social Indicators Research, 57, 119-169. / –
13 / 10/25 / Can money buy happiness in poverty? / Biswas-Diener, R., & Diener, E. (2001). Making the best of a bad situation: Satisfaction in the slums of Calcutta. Social Indicators Research, 55, 329-352. / –
14 / 10/30 / Can money buy happiness in poverty? / · Happiness and Poverty (The happiness show) / Money and Poverty Diary
15 / 11/1 / Explaining the paradox. / Pungo, M. (2005). The happiness paradox: A formula explanation from psycho-economics. Discussion paper series, 1 – 38. / –
16 / 11/6 / Explaining the paradox. / – / Paradox interview
17 / 11/8 / Money and Public Policy. / · = Poverty Talks (CNN)
Diener, E. & Seligman, M.E.P. (2004). Beyond money. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 1 – 31. / –
18 / 11/13 / Money and Public Policy. / · The politics of happiness (BBC News)
* Choose research question and how to analyze the data. / National Well-being measurement.
19 / 11/15 / Positive interventions. / Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410-421. / Secret good deed
20 / 11/20 / Positive interventions. / Summery Paper Due / Gratitude letter
Final / 11/27 / Student Presentations / – / –
· = Class room video.
Out-of-Class exercises:
1) Please define in your own word “happiness.”
2) Is happiness enjoying life or getting a lot of pleasure out of life? Why?
3) Can scientists study happiness? Why or why not?
Well-being profile / Out-of-class exercise: well-being profile—complete Satisfaction with Life Scale, Approaches to Happiness Scale, and Authentic Happiness Inventory at www.authentichappiness.org
Be ready to discuss impression of scales
How to measure happiness. / Interview (ask 3 people):
1) Scientists and governments are interested in measuring “happiness”, how would you measure happiness?
Money and Happiness. / Interview (ask 2 people):
1) If you had more money than you did right now, would you be happier? Why?
2) If you could have anything in the world to be happier, what would you choose?
Money and Poverty. / Which event would bring you greater happiness: (1) giving $50 to a charitable organization; or (2) spending $50 at the restaurant of your choice? Be honest, there is no right or wrong answer.
Paradox interview / Interview (ask 3 people):
1) Why do people persist in devoting time and effort to making money rather than improving their social relationships?
National Well-being instrument. / If you could collect data on each person in America, what data would you collect to develop a national measure of well-being?
Secret good deed / You need to do something kind for someone else without attracting any attention to yourself or taking any credit whatsoever. The good deed can be small – like picking up trash in a neighbor’s yard or putting a coin in an expired parking meter – but must be done anonymously and secretly. Be prepared to discuss what you did and how it made you felt.
Gratitude letter / Gratitude is a sentiment we'd all do well to cultivate. In gratitude letters the writer details a kindness of someone they have never properly thanked. You must write a gratitude letter and read this letter aloud to the person you're thanking. Be prepared to how it made you feel to read a gratitude letter to someone, and how the person reacted.
Summary Paper / An 8 – 10 page paper (APA style) should summary what the student has learned from the articles she / he has read. Questions that should be addressed in the paper are: (1) What are positive psychologist interested in studying? (2) What makes people happy? (3) What role does money play in happiness? (4) When is this relation large, and when it is smaller than expect, and why? (5) Should governments be concerned with national well-being? (6) What daily behaviors can individuals take part in to increase their SWB?
Student Presentations / You will conduct a small pilot study to try to determine how and when money is related to happiness. Topics you may want to study: (1) purchasing choices and happiness, (2) working attitudes and happiness, (3) charitable giving and happiness, (4) credit card debt and (un)happiness, (5) number or work hours and happiness.
Extra Credit: Students may also earn a maximum of 30 points of extra credit in a variety of ways (Note: Not every option will be available during the quarter). There is no guarantee that there will be sufficient opportunities to allow all students to earn the maximum number of extra credit points through any one mechanism. Academic dishonesty, even on an extra credit assignment, will result in an F for the course.
1.Research Participation. Students may earn extra credit by participating in research projects at CSUB. Ten points of extra credit will be given for each hour of research participation (pro-rated for fractions of hours). Opportunities to participate in research will be announced in class (and will vary from quarter to quarter). Once you have participated in a study you will need to complete the research participation form, which asks you to identify the hypothesis and the independent and dependent variable(s) of the study in which you participated. Important: students must show up (on time) for the experiments for which you have signed up or cancel with advance notice. Strict records will be kept and students who have failed to show up for experiments (without canceling) will not be allowed to make up these extra credit opportunities.
2.Talk Summaries. You may write single page papers summarizing talks given in the Department of Psychology. I will announce all talks that are approved for this purpose at the class meetings. Each summary you write for a talk you attended will be worth 10 points.