Is the person who seems happier really less likely than someone who is unhappier to develop an illness?
Despite the growing body of research suggesting that positive emotions can promote good physical health and that negative emotions lead to illness, there is still no clear scientific consensus regarding the relationship between happiness and health.
A rigorous science of positive well-being has the potential to bring greater clarity to the connections between emotional well-being and physical health, and pave the way to developing new interventions aimed at improving the lives and health of countless individuals around the globe. Such exploration requires focused resources and a multi-disciplinary approach to investigate factors that influence positive emotions, examine interventions and communications strategies that promote well-being, and promote the translation of research results into effective public health policies and practices.
Center projects
To initiate the Center’s work—and position our team to contribute both rapidly and substantially to the burgeoning field of positive health science—we anticipate launching three independent but mutually reinforcing research projects to run concurrently over the Center’s first three years. Subsequent research to take place under the auspices of the Center will build upon, extend, and complement these initial research projects.