Skip to main content
Log in

The utility of happiness

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The issue. Nineteenth century utilitarian philosophers considered happiness as the highest good (‘utility’ in their words) and claimed political priority for attempts to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. In reaction, many of their contemporaries cried out that happiness is not good at all, because it turns people into ‘contented cows’ and undermines social bonds. Modern psychologists, however, tend to suggest positive effects: sharper awareness, more activity, better social functioning and better health.

Data. No empirical investigations have yet focussed on consequences of happiness. Nevertheless, indications can be found in various studies covering other matters. This paper gathers the available data. These data do not allow definite conclusions, but do suggest several small yet noteworthy effects. Enjoyment of life seems to broaden perception, to encourage active involvement and thereby to foster political participation. It facilitates social contacts: in particular contacts with spouse and children. Further, happiness buffers stress, thereby preserving health and lengthening life somewhat. There is no evidence of harmful effects. It is concluded that society is more likely to flourish with happy citizens than with unhappy ones.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AdermannD. Elation: 1972, ‘Depression and helping behavior’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 24, 91–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • AlloyL. B. and AbrahamsonL. Y.: 1979, ‘Judgement of contingency in depressed and non-depressed students. Sadder but wiser?’, Journal of Experimental Psychology 168, 441–485.

    Google Scholar 

  • BellP.: 1978, ‘Affective state, attraction, and affiliation: Misery loves happy company too’, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 4, 616–619.

    Google Scholar 

  • BelskyJ.: 1984, ‘The determinants of parenting — a process model’, Child Development 55, 83–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bond, J. B.: 1983, A non-medical approach to the prediction of distance from death’, Paper presented at the 7th ann. meeting of the Canadian Ass. of Gerontology Moncton.

  • BorgattaE. F.: 1961, ‘Mood, personality and interaction’, Journal of General Psychology, 64, 105–137.

    Google Scholar 

  • BotwinnickJ., WestR., and StorandtM.: 1978, Predicting death from behavioral test performance, Journal of Gerontology 33, 755–762.

    Google Scholar 

  • BowerG. H.: 1981, ‘Mood and memory’, American Psychologist 36, 129–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • BrennerB.: 1979, ‘Depressed affect as a cause of associated somatic problems’, Psychological Medicine 9, 737–746.

    Google Scholar 

  • BryantB. K.: 1983, ‘Context of success: Affective aroused generosity’, American Educational Research Journal 20, 553–562.

    Google Scholar 

  • BuchwaldA. M.: 1977, ‘Depressive mood and estimates of reinforcement frequency’, Journal of Abnormal Psychology 86, 443–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, J. C. V.: 1977, ‘Outcome and adjustment in untreated mild depression’, Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Oregon.

  • Cohn, J. and Tronick, E.: 1983, ‘Three-month-old infants’ reaction to simulated maternal depression’, Child Development 54, no. 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, J.: 1982, ‘Shunning the depressed’, Psychology Today, March, 80–81.

  • CrnicV. A., GreenbergM. T., RagezinZ. S., RobinsonN. M., and BoshamR. B.: 1983, ‘Effects of stress and social support on mothers and premature and full term infants’, Child Development 54, 209–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeegD.: 1987, ‘En ze leefden nog lang en gelukkig: Satisfactie als predictor voor overlevingsduur bij bejaarden’, Gezondheid en Samenleving 7, 98–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dosch, M. F.: 1979, ‘Child abuse: A comparison of physical abuses, sexual abuses and non-abuses on perceived locus of control, self acceptance and avowed happiness’, Unpubl. Ph.D. diss. University of Oregon, U.S.A.

  • DouganC. and WelchL.: 1948, ‘A study of elation, making use of the Rorschach test and associated tests’, Journal of Psychology 20, 363–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erbes, J. T. and Hedderson, J. J. C.: 1984, ‘A longitudinal examination of the separation/divorce process’, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Nov., 937–941.

  • FisherV. E. and MarrowA. J.: 1934, ‘Experimental study of moods’, Character and Personality 2, 201–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • FlügelJ. C.: 1925, ‘A quantitative study of feeling emotion in everyday life’, British Journal of Psychology 15, 318–355.

    Google Scholar 

  • FriedmanH. S., RubinZ., JacobsonJ., and ClareG.: 1978, ‘Induced affect and attraction towards dating partners and opposite sex strangers’, Social Psychology 9, 57–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • FrommE.: 1939, ‘Selfishness and self-love’, Psychiatry 2, 507–523.

    Google Scholar 

  • FrommE.: 1962, The Art of Loving, Harper & Row, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gatley, R. H.: 1969, ‘Happiness and affiliation’, Unpubl. paper. Mich. State Univers.

  • GouauxC.: 1971, ‘Induced affective state and interpersonal attraction’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 20, 37–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • HaleW. D. and StricklandB. R.: 1976, ‘Induction of mood states and their effects on cognitive and social behaviors’, Consulting and Clinical Psychology 44, 153.

    Google Scholar 

  • HeadyB., HolmströmE., and WearingA.: 1984, ‘The impact of life events and changes in domain satisfactions on well-being’, Social Indicators Research 15, no. 3, 203–227.

    Google Scholar 

  • HenggelerS. W. and BorduinC. M.: 1981, ‘Satisfied working mothers and their preschool sons: Interaction and psycho-social adjustment’, Journal of Family Issues 2, 322–325.

    Google Scholar 

  • HerseyR. B.: 1932, Workers' Emotions in Shop and Home — A Study of Individual Workers from the Psychological and Physiological Standpoint, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hettema, C. M.: 1979, ‘Effects of mood on recall of pleasantly and unpleasantly rated scentences’, Unpubl. Ph.D. diss, Fordham Univers. U.S.A.

  • HuxleyA.: 1932, Brave New World, Continental Book Co., Stockholm.

    Google Scholar 

  • IsenA. M. and LevinP. F.: 1972, ‘The effect of feeling on good-helping cookies and kindness’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 21, 384–388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janoff-BulmanR. and MarshallG.: 1982, ‘Mortality, well-being and control’, Personality and Social Psychological bulletin 8, 691–698.

    Google Scholar 

  • JohnsonW. B.: 1937, ‘Euphoric and depressed moods in normal subjects I & II’, Journal of Character and Personality 6, 79–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • KaplanG. A. and CamandroT.: 1983, ‘Perceived health and mortality: A nine-year follow-up of the Human Population Laboratory Control’, American Journal of Epidemiology 117, 292–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • KendallP.: 1954, Conflict and Mood, The Free Press, Glencoe, Ill. U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klandermans, B.: ‘Ongeluk maakt niet opstandig: De complexe relatie tussen ontevredenheid en protest’, in R. Veenhoven (ed.), The wages of satisfaction (in preparation).

  • LehrN. M.: 1982, ‘Depression und Lebensqualität im Alter: Korrelate negativer und positiver Gestimmtheit’, Zeitschrift für gerontologie 15, 241–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • LehrU. and Schmitz-SchererR.: 1974, ‘Psycho-soziale Korrelate der Langlebigkeit’, Aktuelle Gerontologie 4, 261–268.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lehr, U., Schmits-Scherer, R., and Zimmerman, E.: 1983, Sozial-psychologische Korrelate der Langlebigkeit, Universität Bonn, Psychologisches Institut.

  • LewinsohnP. M.: 1975, ‘The behavioral study and treatment of depression’, in M.Hersen, R. M.Eisler, and P. M.Miller (eds.), Progress in Behavior Modification, Vol. 1, Academic Press, New York, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Looker, Y. B.: 1981, ‘Maternal mood and mother-child attachment behavior’, Unpubl. Ph.D. diss. Columbia University, U.S.A.

  • LounsburyJ. W., SundstromE., and ShieldsM.: 1979, ‘The relationship of avowed life satisfaction to public acceptance of and expectations about a nuclear powerplant’, Journal of Community Psychology 7, 298–304.

    Google Scholar 

  • ManuciaG. K., BaumanD. J., and CialdiniR. B.: 1984, ‘Mood influences of helping: direct effects or side effects?’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 46, 357–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • MaslowA. H.: 1968, Towards a Psychology of Being, Nostrand, New York, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • MilbrathL. W. and GoelM. L.: 1977, Political Participation, Rand McNally College Publishing Company, Chicago, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • MillerD. and LiebermannM. A.: 1965, ‘The relationship of affect state and adaptive capacity to reaction to stress’, Journal of Gerontology 20, 492–497.

    Google Scholar 

  • NataleM.: 1977, ‘Effects of induced elation-depression on speech in initial interview’, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 45, 45–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • PalmoreE.: 1974, ‘Predicting longevity; A new method’, in PalmoreE. (ed.), Normal Aging II, Report from Duke longitudinal Studies 1970–1975, Duke University Press, Durham NC, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • PalmoreE. and ClevelandW.: 1976, ‘Aeging, terminal decline and terminal drop’, Journal of Gerontology 31, 76–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • RadloffR. and HelmreichR.: 1968, ‘Groups under stress: Psychological research in Sealab II’, Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, U.S.A.

    Google Scholar 

  • RoseA. M.: 1955, ‘Factors associated with the life satisfaction of middle-class, middle aged persons’, Marriage and Family Living 17, 15–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • RymanD. H., BiersnerR. J., and LaRoccoJ. M.: 1974, ‘Reliabilities and validities of the mood questionnaire’, Psychological Reports 35, 479–484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. K.: 1979, ‘The correlates of happiness in post-separation adjustment’, Unpubl. Ph.D. diss. University of Oregon, U.S.A.

  • Spanier, G. B. and Fürstenberg, F. F.: 1982, ‘Remarriage after divorce: A longitudinal analysis of well-being’, Journal of Marriage and the Family, Aug., 709–720.

  • Strickland, B. R. and Hale, W. D.: 1974, ‘Effect of induced mood states on activity and self reported affect,’ Paper presented at the 82th Am. Psych. Conv., New Orleans.

  • Sullivan, E. T.: 1922, ‘Mood in relation to performance’, Archives of Psychology 8, nr. 53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trimboli, F.: 1972, ‘Changes in voice characteristics as a function of trait and state personality variables’, Unpubl. diss. Ohio University.

  • VeenhovenR.: 1984, ‘Conditions of Happiness’, Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

    Google Scholar 

  • VeenhovenR.: 1987, ‘Alleen leven en geluk’ (Single living and happiness), Gedrag en Gezondheid 15, 107–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veenhoven, R. (ed.): in preparation, ‘The wages of satisfaction’.

  • Verkley, H. and Stolk, A.: ‘De invloed van geluksgevoelens op werkloosheid’, in R. Veenhoven (ed.), ‘The wages of satisfaction’ (in preparation).

  • WessmanA. E. and RicksD. T.: 1966, Mood and Personality, Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wessman, A. E., Ricks, D. F., and Tyl, M. M.: 1960, ‘Characteristics and concomittants of mood fluctuation in college women’, Journal of Abnormal Social Psychology, Jan., 117–126.

  • ZuckermanD. M., KaslS. V., and OstfeldA. M.: 1984, ‘Psychological predictors of mortality among the elderly poor. The role of religion, well-being and social contacts’, American Journal of Epidemiology 119, 410–423.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Veenhoven, R. The utility of happiness. Soc Indic Res 20, 333–354 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302332

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00302332

Keywords

Navigation