Researchers remain fascinated by the relationship between money and happiness. Perhaps it’s because of the observation that money alone doesn’t appear to “buy” happiness, unless you give it away or spend it for experiences more than for material things.
A new study out last week (Quoidbach et al., 2010) suggests that money’s effects on our well being and happiness may be even more subtle than previously realized. Simply seeing a picture of money — which appears to prime our brains, increasing the concept of money at a level below awareness — seems to impede our ability to enjoy life’s little pleasures.
How did the researchers arrive at such a stunning conclusion?
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I could write a book re this topic! 30+ years of marriage ended, thankfully! Now trying to survive on $11.000 yearly. Age is a factor in securing employment,as is the economy. Yes, I am angry, depressed to the enth degree and hope has gone out of my vocabulary. All the therapy on the planet will not change my situation nor my attitude….and so it goes…………!
The conclusions drawn from these studies make absolutely no sense to me. How is it that seeing a picture of money is equated with “wealth”? It seems much more likely that seeing a picture of money made people think about LACK. This in turn would make people less likely to feel positive about anything that followed.
I’d be willing to bet that the results of this experiment would be much different if conducted on a group of very wealthy people. If my hypothesis is correct, very wealthy people would not show a negative reaction to the photo of money, because that photo would not give rise to a sense of lack. And that would upend the theory that “wealth reduces our ability to savor.”
I agree with Beth. When prompted to talk about money, most of my (struggling middle-class) therapy clients are more likely to free-associate towards topics related to deprivation (topics like bills and budgeting and job insecurity) than to abundance. The current recession only partly explains this. We live in a culture which inundates us with advertising designed to create chronic feelings of inadequacy, and it takes a hell of a lot more money than most people have to make those feelings go away.
back when i had a brain-dead $8 an hour job that required no thinking i spent my free time being creative and experiencing non-job related aspects of life. now that i have a good paying job that makes me think, i spend my weekends watching tv and avoiding people.
if i wasnt using up every last brain cell focusing on my work i might have some to spare for enjoying life.
I completely agree, wealth, most of the time, does not bring happiness. It’s in the small things, and the small pleasures. It can be a state of mind. Also, money (or the picture of money) can make people very unhappy when they are surrounded by demands that they can’t control, or if controlled they have to be payed month to month. Economists always say that we have “economic opportunities”, and I would replace this with “happiness opportunities” that are lost because of money issues.
Sometimes it requires courage to change things around by deciding what’s best for each person. It’s not easy, but making things simpler may help.
This bring to mind those people who have more money than they can possibly have any intelligent use for but are obsessed with getting ever more money, like an addiction, never satisfied. These people often also cause huge disruption in the lives of other people, sometimes entire economies.
Perhaps there is a connection between this insatiable appetite and lack of ability to savor.
I’m addicted to collecting certain (reasonably cheap) things, I think I’ll try savoring them more and see what happens.
(Incidentally don’t doubt it’s possible to have too little as well as too much wealth for your own good).
When prompted to blab virtually money, most of my (struggling middle-class) therapy clients are statesman promising to free-associate towards topics relevant to disadvantage (topics like bills and budgeting and job insecurity) than to quantity. The new cession only partly explains this. We living in a content which inundates us with business intentional to make inveterate feelings of failing, and it takes a hell of a lot much money than most people make to piss those feelings go away.
polo
Honestly, being a poor graduate student with some fairly wealthy friends and family, I don’t think how rich you are matters. It’s more a state of mind of the person. I think everyone’s fears boil down to they don’t have enough or they aren’t enough regardless of how many numbers are in their bank accounts. And there will always be someone that has more or is better than you in whatever area you’re self conscious about.
I don’t really understand the point of this article or agree with it. It all boils down to the individual person.
I was NEVER rich. We’re talking borderline poor where I rarely made over 800 a mnth. . All I needed to be happy with myself was a car to be able to go DO the things I enjoy out of life. And simple things that don’t cost much for money. Beach, Hiking, Sports, a place I used to volunteer at, traveling just for sight seeing, etc. Since I no longer have a car and am stuck with public transportation or getting rides, my life has been pretty much over. I am not happy with my limited space. I am basically an adult and grounded. I walk out side and all I see is the little SQUARE of land until I get on a bus to inhale fumes and get a nice headache. What used to be a 20 minute trip would take 4 hours via bus with all the transfers. And I HAVE A JOB, I can’t spend 4hrs one way and back to do the things I liked to do.
I know a rich guy with money and he’s a hell of a lot happier than I am. He’s bipolar, antisocial and single because he abuses women. He’s lonley but won’t admit it..but he is HAPPY going about his daily routine and doing everything he enjoys out of life. He says all he needs is his kids and money. And I agree with him. Money brings happiness. I rather be rich and lonley and be able to drive myself to the beach in this nice weather but instead.. I am poor, lonely and staring at a computer hating my life. Sure, I took the dog for a walk but I won’t say it made me happy nor was it enjoyable when we are used to beautiful scenery, mountains, beaches, trails and now we have yucky pothole streets where we weed in and out of traffic. But people tell me that having money won’t make me “happy” and they don’t know what they are talking about.
This article is true. It doesn’t apply to everyone though.
It’s not saying that all rich people are unhappy and it’s better to be poor.
They’re saying that generally, people become obsessed over money and forget about family, being a good well rounded person, or relaxing.
It’s just that you should appreciate everything you have, be thankful for it, and not take it for granted.
No matter whether you’re rich or poor.