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Bryan Caplan  
PERMANENT LINK | NOVEMBER 27, 2006

Does Happiness Research Raise Happiness?

Bryan Caplan
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The Entrepreneurial Society... Taxes vs. Philanthropy...

There's a mini-literature on whether the study of economics causes people to become more selfish. Has anything been written on whether the study of happiness causes people to become more happy?

My guess is that studying happiness doesn't cause happiness. Has anyone shown otherwise?

P.S. I also guess I've just made Arnold a little happier.


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CATEGORIES: Behavioral Economics and Rationality
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COMMENTS (4 to date)
dearieme writes:

When I was about to let my house in a College town, everyone seemd to give me the same advice: no students of law, economics or business. I ended up with two engineers and an archaeologist: exemplary tenants.

Posted November 27, 2006 3:05 PM
Lord writes:

Doesn't the Hawthorne effect show that studying anything makes it better?

Posted November 27, 2006 3:25 PM
Dezakin writes:

Does economics research actually improve economies?

Posted November 27, 2006 4:28 PM
randy writes:

i find it has made me less happy reading about it.

Posted November 27, 2006 4:58 PM
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