The Happiness Equation: Mathematical Formula Helps Predict Subjective States

Feeling down? Maybe you should lower your expectations?

A recent study found that key determinants to the happiness equation were based primarily on predicted outcomes and rewards.

"We expected to see that recent rewards would affect moment-to-moment happiness but were surprised to find just how important expectations are in determining happiness," said lead study author, Dr. Robb Rutledge of the UCL Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging and the new Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing, via the International Business Times. "In real-world situations, the rewards associated with life decisions such as starting a new job or getting married are often not realised for a long time, and our results suggest expectations related to these decisions, good and bad, have a big effect on happiness."

For the study, researchers asked 26 participants to complete a decision-making task in which their choices led to monetary gains and losses. They were also repeatedly asked to answer the question ‘how happy are you right now?'

To study activity going on inside the brain, researchers used functional MRI to gather data. Scientists also built a computational model in which self-reported happiness was based on the outcomes of various experiences.

Next, this model was tested on 18,420 participants in the smartphone app and game ‘What makes me happy?', developed at UCL.
Though no monetary prizes were an option for winning, researchers found that the same equation from before could be used to predict happiness levels.

Scientists believe that by quantifying subjective states mathematically, they may be able to better understand mood disorders in the future.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.