Friday, February 13th, 2009

Buying Experiences, Not Things, May Increase Happiness

Psychologists at San Francisco State University say people reported feeling happier when they spent their money on experiences -- spending on a meal out or theater tickets, perhaps -- rather than buying material objects. The study was presented recently at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. It is scheduled for publication later this year in the Journal of Positive Psychology. In this segment, Ryan Howell, psychologist and head of SFSU's Personality and Well-Being Lab, talks with Ira about the study results and speculates on whether they extend to gift-giving as well.

Guests

Ryan Howell
Quantitative Psychologist
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

Related Links

• Experiences Bring More Joy Than Possessions Do
• Money doesn't make us happy but experiences do
• Study: Experiences make us happier than possessions

Segment produced by:Annette Heist

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