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Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth Hardcover – 1 Aug. 2008
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Ed Diener
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- shares the results of three decades of research on our notions of happiness
- covers the most important advances in our understanding of happiness
- offers readers unparalleled access to the world's leading experts on happiness
- provides "real world" examples that will resonate with general readers as well as scholars
Winner of the 2008 PSP Prose Award for Excellence in Psychology, Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division of the Association of American Publishers
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ISBN-109781405146616
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ISBN-13978-1405146616
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Edition1st
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PublisherWiley-Blackwell
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Publication date1 Aug. 2008
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LanguageEnglish
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Dimensions15.24 x 2.24 x 22.86 cm
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Print length304 pages
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Review
“Happiness is a process, not a place. That's one of the key concepts that leaps from Happiness: Unlocking The Mysteries Of Psychological Wealth by Ed Diener and Robert Biswas- Diener.” (Diana's Blog: Quirky Words and Book)
“Happiness challenges the present thinking af the causes and consequences of happiness and redefines our modern notions of happiness. It shares the results of three decades of research on happiness, and covers the most important advances in our understanding of happiness. It also offers readers access to the world's leading experts on happiness, and provides 'real world' examples that will resonate with general readers as well as scholars.” (Family Therapy)
“In their sweeping new book Diener and his son, Robert Biswas-Diener, distill the results of worldwide research into happiness and come up with an explanation, a recipe, for a sustained state of good feeling, psychological wealth, as they call it.” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 2008)
“The authors write in a that is clear and accessible to a general audience; furthermore, they frequently infuse humor into their work. I certainly respect Diener and Biswas-Diener as well as admire the amount effort they have each put into their life's work.” (Metapsychology, November 2008)
"Pioneering researchers Professor Ed and his son Robert Biswas-Diener explain ... why most things we've been told are wrong." (Psychologies, November 2008)
“Ed Diener [says], 'Happiness is not a set of desirable life circumstances. It's a way of traveling.' Diener's new book, written with his son, Robert Biswas-Diener, a life coach, offers guidance for those interested in taking a road trip. As the Dieners synthesize the latest research … they challenge the conventional party line on well-being.” (O Magazine)
"Among the recent glut of books about happiness, this one shines out. Highly readable and entertaining, its authors are perhaps the pre-eminent researchers on the subject … The advice on how to gain an appropriate level of happiness is way ahead of that offered by most self-help books." (New Scientist)
“If you’re looking for one thoughtful, comprehensive book to help you understand the science of happiness better, this is exactly what you’re looking for. It’s also a good read, accessible, concise, and even funny, which isn’t true of all such books, and there’s a lot of information I hadn’t seen elsewhere.” (Happiness Project)
"This book is absolutely a delight to read. [The authors] have made the science very accessible and practical. You will love the stories they weave into the text. The Dieners take us along on their adventures around the world. We tag along as they unlock the mysteries of happiness. As you read the book you come to understand why Diener is known as the ‘Jedi Master of Happiness’ and why Biswas-Diener has been called the ‘Indiana Jones of Psychology.’ Get the book, settle into a comfortable chair, buckle your seatbelt, and enjoy the ride." (Positive Psychology News Daily)
Review
–David G. Myers, Hope College, author, The Pursuit of Happiness: Who is Happy, and Why
"A great gift from the leading professional scientist of happiness in the world and his son, the 'Indiana Jones' of positive psychology."
–Martin E. P. Seligman, University of Pennsylvania and author, Authentic Happiness
"Want the key to happiness and success in life, choose the right advisor. On the subject of happiness, students, researchers, businesses, and governments have been turning to Ed Diener. Now, in this powerful, ground-breaking book, we have the opportunity to receive the coveted advice of Dr. Diener and his son Robert Biswas-Diener. This book is a must read if you want a practical, enjoyable, and uplifting science-based guide to achieving real psychological wealth."
–David J. Pollay, B.A. Yale, M.A.P.P. University of Pennsylvania, President, The Momentum Project, Syndicated Columnist, and Author of The Law of the Garbage Truck
"The collaboration between the foremost authority on happiness research and the “Indiana Jones” of psychology makes for a great mix of interesting examples and solid research. I have never seen a book that does such a good job offering useful practical advice while basing this advice on completely sound empirical research."
–Richard E. Lucas, Michigan State University
"This is a happiness book by the world authority, the pre-eminent scholar in the field along with an in-the-trenches coach who teaches and adapts this material every day for practical use with his clients. These folks know happiness from the inside out. The authors separate the wheat from the chaff, and serve up a meal replete with tasty morsels of practical advice on how to live. A joy to read!"
–Michael B. Frisch, Baylor University, author, Quality of Life Therapy
"Finally the definitive book on happiness from the world’s leading expert, Ed Diener, and his son, Robert Biswas-Diener, known as the “Indiana Jones” of Positive Psychology. The authors bring over thirty years of research and practice into this engaging book that reveals the secrets of psychological wealth – your true net work -- which includes your attitudes toward life, social support, spiritual development, material resources, and health. This is a landmark book that should be read not only by laypersons but also scholars, educators, business leaders and decision-makers interested in global well-being and human happiness. "
–Jim Clifton, Chairman & CEO, The Gallup Organization
From the Inside Flap
Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener
Ed Diener, J. R. Smiley Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois, is the world's foremost authority on the science of happiness. His son, Robert Biswas-Diener, has been called the "Indiana Jones of psychology" because of his data collection adventures around the world. In this fascinating book the father and son team presents scienti??? c evidence revealing that happiness is not overrated, and is good for people's health, social relationships, job success, longevity, and altruism. Happy people even tend to earn higher incomes. But people can be too happy for maximum success, and the pursuit of ultra-happiness can be detrimental. They advocate an optimal level of happiness in which people do not seek euphoria, but pursue life satisfaction, meaning, and frequent positive emotions, with recognition that some negative emotions are an integral part of a happy life. The authors describe why happiness alone is not enough; people need to be happy for the right reasons. They describe the new concept of Psychological Wealth, which extends beyond material riches, and beyond popular concepts like emotional intelligence and social capital.
The authors describe the evidence on what causes happiness. Although there are genetic in??? uences on happiness, these genetics do not produce an unchanging happiness "set point." The book describes the authors' data collection around the globe that shows that people are not necessarily "born" happy, but can and do change their levels of happiness.
This book reveals that high income is correlated with happiness, although excessive materialism is toxic to it. The important factor is not so much what one can buy with one's income, but one's attitudes to it. The authors provide a model for a happy approach to life, based on Attention, Interpretation, and Memory (AIM). Diener and Biswas-Diener suggest that happiness is about a way of traveling, learning to react in positive ways to the world, rather than simply being a destination or set of circumstances.
From the Back Cover
Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth
Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener
About the Author
About the Authors
Ed Diener, PhD, is the Joseph R. Smiley Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is recognized as the world's foremost authority on the science of happiness. He is also a senior scientist for the Gallup Organization.
Robert Biswas-Diener, Program Director at the Center for Applied Positive Psychology (UK) and part-time lecturer at Portland State University, lives in Milwaukie, Oregon. He is known as the "Indiana Jones of positive psychology" for his research on subjective well-being in remote cultures around the world.
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Product details
- ASIN : 1405146613
- Publisher : Wiley-Blackwell; 1st edition (1 Aug. 2008)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 304 pages
- ISBN-10 : 9781405146616
- ISBN-13 : 978-1405146616
- Dimensions : 15.24 x 2.24 x 22.86 cm
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Best Sellers Rank:
772,904 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- 2,225 in Social Psychology (Books)
- 2,266 in Psychology & Emotions
- 21,681 in Higher Education of Biological Sciences
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Page 43: The giving of support is more beneficial than receiving support.
Page 97: People who obtained windfalls experience more happiness over longer periods of time.
Chapter seven on religion, spirituality, and happiness: There are extensive details covered on why those with religious beliefs may vary in happiness levels.
Chapter nine on the happiness set point: Helpful data is written on the happiness threshold, and what can be done to improve it.
Measuring Psychological Wealth in Chapter fourteen: I enjoyed the fun quizzes that were listed in regards to measuring my psychological wealth. I admit that I wish to not disclose my results on a public forum. However, I did find these quizzes helpful, and am more aware where I must make improvements.
The following are the areas where I respectfully disagree with the authors:
Chapter 4: Happiness and Social Relationships - Please understand that I acknowledge that friends can be beneficial in life. I can see why the authors imply that social relationships and happiness cannot be separate from each other. Strong scientific details were included to back up their implied message. However, I know from personal experience that happiness can exist without a large social network if there is an abundance of prosperity and a sturdy spiritual foundation.
Chapter 13: Living Happily Ever After: I agree with the compelling information given on why its essential to have direction and goals. Their excerpt on intelligent forecasting and wise choices is also enlightening, but I respectfully disagree about the material sufficiency analysis. Both men at least acknowledge that being able to be at least in the middle class is important, but they state that material sufficiency is unnecessary for happiness (on page 226). I respectfully disagree with this because they also list in the book how social status is important on page 106 (which I concur with). In addition, I have personally been on various stages of the socio-economic scale (after leaving the military), and seen firsthand how some people will decline your friendship if not on their level financial wise. Fortunately, I have become more prosperous since then, but I'm still acutely aware of the social status epidemic. I say this because it is common knowledge that you are defined by what you do when living in the Washington D.C. area.
With all this said, I can understand that there are some that may agree with me, and others that won't. I would still recommend this as a good book to read, but more for those who want a psychological analysis on happiness, as compared to a how-to.
If you're looking for a book on happiness that gives you everything you need to know on what makes people happy and why, as well as what you can do to be happier, and why happiness is important, this is that book. Between them, Ed and Robert have done much to create the modern field of happiness studies, and this book is their masterly review of that field. Happiness? It's all here, in the most comprehensive yet accessible, engaging and entertaining book available. Enjoy.
This publication is not your regular "10 steps to happiness" self-help book. This 250 pages read oozes with rigorous happiness research. Both authors have a combined happiness research experience of more than half a century. You can feel that they really live and breathe their science instead of just regurgitating article abstracts, and Ed Diener belongs to the happy few that have access to the priceless Gallup World Poll database. So this father-son couple really knows a thing or two about the science of happiness.
Most of the truckloads of happiness books out there try to make you as happy as possible. They embody an "optimizer" view on happiness. This publication is different. It is OK to be, say, quite happy without incessantly jumping around for joy. This book takes a "satisfyer" stance on the subject. Now it happens that research by Barry Schwartz shows that satisfyers eventually end up happier. So by not hardselling you happiness, this book might really make you happier eventually.
For a scientific book, this work is quite easy to digest. Academics might regret the lack of footnotes in the text, but many researchers are fairly mentioned by name. On the other hand, not every reader might want to know the details about the tattoos on the authors' body parts, or about how to cook a delicious bowl of cockroaches. But these parts make the book an entertaining read, occasionally bubbling with humour, which might offer you some extra fleeting moments of, well, happiness.
If you've never read a book about happiness, this one is definitely a good start. If your bookshelf shows off "Stumbling on Happiness" by Dan Gilbert or "The How of Happiness" by Sonja Lyubomirsky, just to mention a few, this one should be in your collection. And if you're looking for something to insert between your "Handbook of Positive Psychology" and your "Positive Psychology in a Nutshell", this one might perfectly do the job.








