The Psychology of Happiness

The introduction.  The semantic meaning of happiness While discussing the psychology of happiness, some basic issues concerning the meaning of the term must be considered. First of all, it should be pointed out that the issue of happiness is regarded quite ambiguously. For instance, for most of people happiness is recognized to be a subjective phenomenon.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Psychology of Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For some individuals the semantic meaning of the term is mostly associated with well-being or flourishing. Other people determine happiness as a person’s emotional state, which has nothing in common with material welfare. In other words, the second category of people defines happiness as a feeling of harmony and internal quiet. The psychology of happiness is closely related to philosophy, as the science of happiness is based on three major theories, namely â⠂¬Å"the emotional state theory, the life satisfaction theory, and hedonism† (Haybron, 2011, para. 1). The body Some fundamentals on happiness According to philosophical point of view, happiness can be regarded as a state of mind or, as a certain kind of pleasure a person’s mode of life is based on. As far as, we are to speak about the psychological importance of happiness, we are to reveal certain mental states happiness is determined by. Thus, it should be noted that to be happy it is necessary to gain pleasure, life satisfaction, etc. On the other hand, a positive emotional condition can be also regarded as happiness. Generally, one is to keep in mind that there are a lot of misconceptions concerning the issues, which make us happy. Special investigations show that â€Å"our enduring level of happiness (H) is determined by our happiness set point (S), life circumstances (C) (influenced by aspects of temperament and character such as depression and sleep quality) and intentional or voluntary activities (V)† (â€Å"The Psychology of Happiness,† 2010, p. 2).Advertising Looking for article on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Sonja Lyubomirsky is of the opinion that the variable S is equal to 50% of happiness, material welfare is equal to 10%, and 40% of happiness depend upon a person’s actions and intentional activities. Depression as an opposite state In our days, depression is considered to be one of the most widespread psychological states, when a person cannot enjoy anything because of some unpleasant and difficult situations. It must be pointed out that in the UAE depression is prevalent, but the reasons of the mental state differ from ones, which other countries face. Generally, in most case, depression in the UAE is caused by work-related problems, including stressful conditions of work for expatriates. Of course, the financial crisis cannot be neglected too. Those, who are separated from family, cannot find a social support; so, a lack of functional relations causes stress and, therefore, depression. In other words, one can make a conclusion that it is the loss of control, which influences people’s mental state. Loss of concentration and apathy are recognized to be the most common signs of depression. The situation can be aggravated, if persons start to reconsider their whole life. Thus, they may suddenly realize that did not start a family in time, did not make money in time, etc. Some variables happiness depends upon People cannot be happy, if all the time they think how to survive in the modern world. On the contrary, constant attempts to resolve certain conflicts, earn more money, etc. cause the feeling of dissatisfaction and tiredness. Moreover, if people have no social support, the stress can cause more serious mental disorders than depression only. The feeling of happiness also depends upon a person’s free choi ce. â€Å"Some studies have shown that economic development, democratization, and rising social tolerance have increased the extent to which people perceive that they have free choice† (â€Å"The Psychology of Happiness,† 2010, p. 4).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Psychology of Happiness specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In other words, to help people feel good, it is necessary to think about the policy the government relies on. Unfortunately, people cannot live alone; they need constant support and interaction. Moreover, their internal state depends upon numerous factors, and social medium they live in impacts on their worldview and confidence. Still, when speaking about a person’s emotional state, one is to keep in mind that human beings cannot feel happy the same way. Their understanding of happiness will be always different. For instance, the above-mentioned free choice can be als o regarded as a negative component. Thus, some individuals can satisfy their needs and feel good; others cannot feel good while satisfying their needs, because they try to find the best possible choice and cannot decide what they want. In other words, the feeling of happiness is a subjective issue. Some people may have certain problems with health; so, for them, happiness means the absence of health problems. Others do not need any treatment, but they are economically disadvantaged; so, such individuals think that if they earn more money – they will be happy. An analysis of people’s common values or expectations However, in spite of the fact that happiness is a subjective issue, for certain groups of people some things can be regarded as common values or expectations. Of course, the simplest example is related to persons’ well-being. Thus, while people have different incomes, they can be divided into three major categories: poor people, middle-class people and p eople, who are in easy circumstances. Correspondingly, one can probably determine one common aim for each group. So, it seems that the representatives of the first category can be happy, if their incomes are equal to the incomes of middle-class people. The demands of the representatives of the second category are more complicated, due to the so-called hierarchy of persons’ needs. So, middle-class people want to be richer than they are. People, who are in easy circumstances, can suffer from the so-called interpersonal conflict. Of course, the above-mentioned assumptions should not be regarded as totally reliable; they are based on the general concepts concerning the modern society.Advertising Looking for article on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hierarchy of persons’ needs must probably be considered in details. Thus, there is a need to point out that when some aims are achieved, new objectives appear. So, to feel happy, human beings are to set certain aims and every new aim is to be more complex and, therefore, more valuable. However, constant struggle for happiness or gaining aims can cause utter exhaustion, which can lead to depression. â€Å"Experts in the burgeoning field of positive psychology hold that people usually guess wrong about what will bring them happiness. Money, for example (beyond enough to cover life’s basic needs) doesn’t predict happiness† (Allison, 2011, para. 3). The conclusion As far as happiness is recognized to be a subjective variable, one can determine the common conception of the issue. So, developing self compassion, achieving flow experience, expressing gratitude, and using character strengths are the most widespread paths to happiness. References Allison, K. (2011 ). The Power of Positive Psychology: Finding Happiness In A Cold Ocean Swim. Harvard Health Publications. Web. Haybron, D. (2011). Happiness. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/happiness/ The Psychology of Happiness. (2010). Stanford Graduate School of Business.  Web. This article on The Psychology of Happiness was written and submitted by user Shania S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

How to Use the French Expression Nest-ce Pas

How to Use the French Expression Nest-ce Pas The French expression  nest-ce  pas (pronounced nes-pah) is what grammarians call a tag question. Its a word or short phrase that is tagged on to the end of a statemen, to turn it into a yes-or-no question. It is a  question  added to a  declarative sentence to engage, verify, or confirm. Question tags use the auxiliary verb in the opposite form of the sentence itself. If a sentence is negative, the question tag takes the positive form of the auxiliary verb and vice versa. Most of the time, nest-ce  pas is used in conversation when the speaker, who already expects a certain response, asks a question mainly as a rhetorical device. Literally translated,  nest-ce pas  means is it not, though most speakers understand it to mean isnt it? or arent you? In English, tag questions often consist of the specific verb from the statement combined with not. In French, the verb is irrelevant; the tag question is just nest-ce pas. English tag questions right? and no? are similar in usage to nest-ce pas, though not in register. They are informal, whereas nest-ce pas  is formal. The informal French tag question equivalent is non?   Heres a quick review of principle tenses, the auxiliary form they take, and an example of a positive and a negative question tag for each tense. Examples and Usage Vous à ªtes prà ªt, nest-ce pas? –  Youre ready, arent you?Elle est belle, nest-ce pas? –  Shes beautiful, isnt she?Nous devons partir bientà ´t, nest-ce pas? –  We have to leave soon, dont we?Il a fait ses devoirs, nest-ce pas? –  He did his homework, didnt he?Ils peuvent nous accompagner, nest-ce pas? –  They can come with us, cant they? More French Resources Expressions with à ªtreExpressions with pasMost common French phrasesQuestions in French

Poverty and Pollution in Japan, Europe and North America Research Paper - 1

Poverty and Pollution in Japan, Europe and North America - Research Paper Example Many Third World cities have significantly high concentrations of industries and the industrial output also forms a prominent part of the world’s industrial production. These Third world cities face equivalent environmental pollution. Over the years the industrial development in these cities or city-regions has progressed tremendously and the greater the industrial development, the bigger will be the magnitude of the environmental pollution faced by the inhabitants of the countries. An inter-relation of poverty and pollution will be highlighted through a case presentation and the ethical implications of the business owners towards the society, basic rights of the humans for a cleaner environment and the reasons for industrial development in Third World countries will be discussed in relation to the case study. Popularly referred as Brazil’s â€Å"valley of death†, this particular valley, Cubatao, is a home to 100,000 people, living amidst critical environmental circumstances. The valley can be considered as the most polluted place on Earth where the inhabitants are constantly faced with tons of pollutants discharged by the industrial plants each day. The air, in which the inhabitants breathe daily, is polluted with a plethora of toxins, predominantly benzene which is a known carcinogen. 13,000 urban residents suffer from respiratory disease and infant mortality rate is 10 percent higher as compared to the whole region. The residents are, however, completely aware of the circumstances and the poor health conditions of their children and families, but the industrial plants are a source of employment for them. Few wish to move out of the valley, but their financial status doesn’t allow them to do so. The circumstances in the valley of Brazil, pointing out that poor have t o face the price for industrial  development. They are faced with environmental hazards and they cannot even reach out for environmental protection due to their low economic conditions (Shaw 2011).