ABSTRACT
By taking stock of the results of 245 studies on happiness, this book attempts to identify
conditions that favor a positive appreciation of life One goal is to provide a concise
view of findings on happiness, in particular of the differences that become apparent when
findings are compared across time, national and social categories.Another goal is to
assess the extend to which the correlations found represent causal relations and how these
causalities interact. Together, the abundant data provide a first map of conditions for
happiness in contemporary society.
This book draws on a collection of research findings on happiness gathered in the complementary Databook of Happiness