Liz's Key Elements of Happiness

Week 4 post 2 The ability to effectively communicate, overcome and trust is incredibly vital aspects of Human nature; although many people do not always see the importance of these skills in a very fast-paced, unforgiving society. Humans are extremely social beings with firm opinions, so there is bound to be conflict. However,  conflict does not always need to be harmful, and there are ways to work around things, so there are lessened levels of conflict. Cooperation is such a vital part of relationships, jobs, and a functional society in general. Cooperation is even crucial to nature from large mammals down to the smallest cell that exists. Everything must work together to form a cohesive, functional world. For example, many ant colonies form a system which includes lines and entrances to be able to collect the most food possible while ensuring their survival; they are a great example of why cooperation is essential because these simple creatures have been able to exist for milli...

Week 4 post 1 Roadmap for the week: Cooperation and reconciliation  Robert sampans “collective neighborhood effect” Neighborhoods high in “collective efficacy” — high social cohesion and willingness to act cooperatively for the common good — have better -child health -high school graduation rates -higher life expectancy  -reduced social disorder why is tit-for tat an effective strategy?  1)its first move is cooperative 2)subsequent moves mirror partner 3)it is easy to read 4)it is forgiving  -Cooperation—where individuals work together in order to create a benefit for an entire group—seems at odds with what many people assume are the basic forces of evolution (humans are selfish mindset. -Cooperation is part of nature, down to the cellular level -These simulations show that ants have evolved a three-lane, two-way traffic system: As many as 200,000 ants a day pour out of their nest in search of food, splitting into two grou...

Post 1 The week overview 1)Spending money on others boosts happiness more than spending on one's self 2)Supportive behavior activates reward circuitry in the brain 3)Volunteering leads to better life satisfaction and health What is compassion? What motivates kindness? -empathy -social status -gratitude -COMPASSION! Defining Compassion, “ The feeling that arises when you witness another suffering and want to help relieve that suffering” Versus empathy: Sense or understanding of others’ emotions, but don't necessarily feel moved to help Mimicry: Imitate others’ emotions and/or behavior Pity: concern for someone felt to be inferior to yourself Compassion as a primary pathway to human happiness, idea starting around 2500 years ago when there was a great influx of writing and philosophy -soldiers are overwhelmed with sympathy breakthroughs, that when they encounter face-to-face, eye-to-eye, their adversaries,their lives are on the line, i...