Schedule of Readings
You are responsible only for the readings. Readings with * next to them and media (videos and podcasts) are not required.
Readings:
- [RL] Ch. 1,2,3
Additional Readings:
- TIMES: The Pursuit of Happiness: [read here] *
Media:
- The Pursuit of Happiness [watch here]
Assignments:
- Take the intro survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6W2R367
Readings:
- [BF] Preface, Ch. 1, 2.
- [DA] Introduction, Ch. 1-2 (also pick up a random chapter from the rest, see SP 1 Assignment)
- or watch him at TED [his website]
- Kahneman, D. & R. Thaler. (2005). Anomalies: Utility Maximization and Experienced Utility. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 20, No. 1 (Winter, 2006), pp. 221-234 [download here]
Additional Readings:
- Prospect Theory [read here]*
Media:
- How to Make Better Decisions [watch here]
- Daniel Gilbert: The surprising science of happiness [watch here]
- The battle of future vs present self [watch here]
- Why people believe weird things [watch here]
- Optimism bias [watch here]
- TED: Predictably irrational (series of 11 talks) [watch here]
- The surprising truth about what motivates us [watch here]
Assignments:
- [SP 1] Pick up a chapter from [DA] (other than the ones you have to read) and summarize it. Do you agree with him that we don’t know our preferences very well so we are susceptible to manipulation? Describe a time when you made an inaccurate affective forecast. Why do you think you were so inaccurate? Did you learn from the experience and avoid making a similar inaccurate forecast in the future? [+5pts]
Readings:
- Thaler and Sunstain. (2003). Libertarian Paternalism. American Economic Review P&P. 175-179 [read here]
- Gary Becker Criticism [read here] [and another one]
Additional Readings:
- Libertarian Paternalism is Not an Oxymoron. [read here]*
Media:
- How behavioral science can lower your energy bill [watch here]
Assignments:
- Find a “nudge” that we haven’t discussed in class and write a short 1.5 page paper to describe what it is. Relate the nudge to the Kahneman & Thaler (2005) paper (come to class prepared to share it with the rest of the class]. [+2 pt]
Readings:
- Nozick, Happiness, Ch. 9 [read here]
- David, Buss. (2000). The Evolution of Happiness. American Psychologist. 55, 15-23. [read here]
Additional Readings:
- Aristotle and Happiness [read here]*
Media:
- Daniel Kahneman: The riddle of experience vs. memory [watch here]
- The origins of pleasure [watch here]
- How the brain works? [watch here]
Happiness Data:
- The World Value Survey [explore here]
- The General Social Survey [explore here]
- DiTella & MacCulloch (2006), Some Uses of Happiness Data. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 25-26 [read here]*
Assignments:
- [SP 2] Nozick argues that “happiness can occur at the meta level as an evaluation of one’s life as a whole, and at the object level as a feeling within the life; it can be at both places an once.” Which type of happiness is more important — feeling satisfied with you life as a whole or experiencing positive (and absence of negative) emotions? How are the two related and is it possible to have one but lack the other? Give an example. [+5 pts]
Readings:
- [RL] Ch. 4-7
- Interview with Gregg Easterbrook [read here]
Additional Readings:
- Easterlin, Richard (1995). Will raising the incomes of all increase the happiness of all? The Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. 27, 35-47 [read here]*
- Sacks, Stevenson, Wolfers. (2013). New Stylized Facts about Income and Subjective Well-Being. CES Working Paper. [read here]
Media:
- The Economics of Happiness [watch here]
- The price of happiness [watch here]
- A kinder, gentler philosophy of life [watch here]
Additional Readings: (not required)
- The Easterlin Paradox and Other Puzzles [read here]
- The Happiness-Income Paradox Revisited [read here]
- Subjective Well-being and Economic Development [read here]
- High Income Improves Life Evaluation but not emotional well-being [read here]
Assignments:
- In a short 1.5-page paper reflecting on the following questions: “Our lives have improved remarkably over the past century in many objective and measurable ways (on your own research trends on life expectancy, sanitation, crime, literacy, health, democracy, or other objective measures that you may be interested in). Today people live longer and healthier lives and are better dressed and educated. Why is it that so many people are critical of economic growth then (or the so called progress paradox)? Should we be worried? (relate your answers to the readings for the day) [+2 pt]
Readings:
- [RF] Introduction, Ch.1 +2
- [BS] Read as much of the book as you can.
Additional Readings:
- [BF] Ch. 9*
Media:
- The life of the filthy super rich billionaires [watch here]
- Adbusters anti-consumption ads compilation [watch here]
- The Century of the Self [watch here]
- The Persuaders [watch here]
- Epicurus on Happiness [watch here]
- Less stuff, more happiness [watch here]
- Affluenza [watch here]
- Life lessons from an ad man [watch here]
- The paradox of choice [watch here] [Colbert Report]
- The art of choosing [watch here]
Assignments:
- Find a product that promises happiness through its advertisement. In a short paper describe what this product is and how the company is trying to induce people to buy it? Do you believe that this promise can be fulfilled? If not, is this type of advertisement bad and should we ban it? Relate your answer to the readings for the day [+2 pts]
Readings:
- [BF] Ch. 4-8
Media:
- Economic freedom and quality of life [watch here]
- The Economic Freedom of the World Index [website]
- How economic inequality harms societies [watch here] [The spirit level] [The spirit level delusion]
- Happy (documentary) [watch here]
- Happiness and its surprises [watch here]
Assignments:
- No assignment
Readings:
- Are we happy yet? Cato Unbound [read here]
Media:
- Frey and Stutzer.(2007). Should National Happiness Be Maximized? [read here]
- The Happy Planet Index: [watch here] and [website]
- Bhutan – Gross National Happiness [watch here] [and here]
- The Sarkozy Report [read here]
- OECD Your Better Life Index [website]
- Joseph Stiglitz – Problems with GDP as an Economic Barometer [watch here]
- Amartya Sen on the quality of life [watch here]
Assignments:
- [SP 3] Read thoroughly the Cato debate [read here] and write a short paper on the topic: Are new measures of social and economic progress needed for the 21st century and why? Make sure you use examples from the readings to support your points. A good paper will demonstrate that you have worked through the readings and have a good grasp of the main arguments presented there. [+5]
Readings:
- [MS] Preface, ch.1-4
- Gable & Haidt. (2005). What (and Why) Is Positive Psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103-110 [read here]
- Lyubomirsky, Sonja (2005) The Benefits of Positive Affect: Does happiness lead to success? 131, 803-855 [read here]
Media:
- The new era of positive psychology [watch here]
- The happy secret to better work [watch here]
- Does success leads to happiness? [watch here]
Assignments:
- No assignment
Meditation, prozac, and Freud
Readings
- Buddha, Dhammapada (whole book)
- [JH] Ch.2
- Shapiro, S., Schwartz, G. E. R., & Santerre, C. (2002). Meditation and positive psychology. In Handbook of Positive Psychology.
- Moderate exercise not only treats, but also prevents depression [read here]
- One minute meditation [watch here]
Media
- Want to be happier? Stay in the moment: [watch here]
- How meditation can change your brain chemistry [watch here]
Reciprocity, gratitude, and the common good
Readings
Media
- How to buy happiness [watch here]
- Effective altruism [watch here]
- An experiment on gratitude [watch here]
- Pay it back trailer [watch here]
- The hidden power of smiling [watch here]
- A Beautiful Mind (Adam Smith was wrong) [watch here]
- Split or Steal [watch here]
- Power and Empathy [listen here]
Assignments
- Reflect on how often you engage in philanthropic activities as compared to pleasurable ones. How do you feel after each type of activity? Engage in one act of kindness (other than spending money) and one act of pleasure, and answer the following: What were the two activities you engaged in? What were the specific differences in each type of activity? What type of emotions did you feel during each type of activity? How long did the generally positive emotions experienced during each type of activity remain with you afterward? (you don’t need to write a paper)
- Spend $5 on yourself and then $5 on somebody else (roommate, friend, stranger, etc.) Repeat the reflections above.
- Smile at 5 strangers and note if they smile back at you. Come to class ready to share your experiences. [+1]
- [SP 4] Finally, start keeping a gratitude journal. Before going to bed each night, write a list of three things about your day for which you’re grateful. Some days you’ll have exciting things to write down, and some days you’ll be writing down simple joys (e.g. I enjoyed my coffee in the morning). You can find more gratitude exercises from the following list [right here]. Submit a short 1 page reflection on the exercise four weeks from now. [+5]
Love and attachment
Readings
- [JH] Ch. 6
Media
- Why we love, why we cheat [watch here]
- Harlow’s dependency experiments in monkeys [watch here]
- Bawlby’s attachment theory [watch here]
- Why play is more than just fun [watch here]
- The science of sex appeal [watch here]
- Schopenhauer on love [watch here]
Flow & Peak Performance
Readings
- [AH] Ch. 7
- [MC] whole book
Media
- Flow, the secret to happiness [watch here]
Assignments:
- Think about an activity that gets you in a state of “flow.” How do you feel in such moments?
- Design a perfect day that is possible for you to experience at this point in your life. Describe in detail what you would do and how you would allot your time. Attempt to live that day. How did you feel throughout the course of the day? Did you feel happy? How do you feel as you look back over your day? Would you have changed anything? Can you incorporate things that made you happy on that day into your daily life? Relate to the readings for the day [+2]
- Come up with advertising ideas for the ECON 385R class (e.g., slogans, ideas for videos, posters, etc.) by applying some of the ideas we learned earlier in the semester. [+2]
Readings:
- [JH] Ch.7
- Ryff & Singer: Flourishing under fire. [Flourishing, Ch.1]
- Haidt: Elevation [Flourishing Ch.12]
- Keltner, D., & Haidt, J. (2003). Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. Cognition and Emotion, 17, 297-314
- Maslow: Main text (p.3-58)
Media:
- Conan O’Brian [watch here]
- Nietzsche on hardship [watch here]
- Steve Jobs: How to live before you die [watch here]
- Michael Jordan ad [watch here]
- Famous failures [watch here]
- The last lecture [watch here]
Assignments:
- Find one famous person who was able to overcome adversity. How did they fail but were able to cope with adversity? Finally, how have you grown from setbacks in your life? [+2]
- Look around your environment and take note of one (or more!) things that you often take for granted. Examples include parts of the Oxford campus, your friends, a certain food you enjoy, or a favorite scenic view. Stop what you are doing and write down (either in prose or in a list) all the good things you can about this thing/experience. Also write anything else that you think will help you appreciate it more fully. Comment on this experience. Does this make you savor and appreciate it more? If so, how long does this effect last? If this does not help you savor, why not? How can you incorporate savoring techniques into your daily life more often? [+2]
Readings:
- [AH] Ch. 8-10, 13
- Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics Book II
- Sternberg, R. J. (1998). A balance theory of wisdom. Review of General Psychology.
Media:
- The pursuit of happiness [watch here]
Assignments:
- Find your character strengths at: http://www.viacharacter.org/www/. Print them out and bring them to class. What are your signature strengths? Were they a surprise to you? How can you (or how do you) capitalize on them in your personal and professional life? Write a page describing your ideal self. [+2]
Readings:
Media:
- The pursuit of happiness [watch here]
- Dr. Michio Kaku on the next 100 years [watch here] [Physics of the Future] [Explorations in Science] [and here]
- Juan Enriquez: The Next Species of Human [watch here]
- Rewiring our brains!? [read here] [and here]
- Eelctroschock therapy [watch here]
Assignments:
No readings