Does Happiness Lead to Success? – Part 2

Defining terms

Happiness is:  The experience of frequent positive emotions – joy, interest, pride
Happiness is: The experience of infrequent negative emotions – sadness anxiety anger

It is the relative proportion of time spent in the positive emotions that predicts happiness while the intensity of the emotions is a weaker predictor.

Happy people therefore experience mild or moderate positive affect the majority of the time (about 80%), not frequent intense positive states. To restate it, happiness is a state where people feel positive emotions most of the time.

Happy people are more sensitive to environmental rewards and are more likely to approach rewarding situations.

High average levels of of positive affect is also known as chronic happiness.

Trait positive affect and subjective wellbeing has its roots in genetic personality dispositions – a genetic set point. Happiness is also dependent on your current life circumstances and the intentional activities you participate in.

Positive emotions can produce desirable outcomes even in the absence of a very happy disposition, although a happy disposition is likely a cause of positive emotions.