Help
Sign In
Europe
July 2009 
Social Networks and Happiness
Posted on Dec 27th, 2008
by 
Albert
Albert
Two scientists from Harvard University and University of California found out something social networks and correlation to happiness. Here are thier results ate edge.org:
"We found that social networks have clusters of happy and unhappy people within them that reach out to three degrees of separation. A person's happiness is related to the happiness of their friends, their friends' friends, and their friends' friends' friends-that is, to people well beyond their social horizon. We found that happy people tend to be located in the center of their social networks and to be located in large clusters of other happy people. And we found that each additional happy friend increases a person's probability of being happy by about 9%.
Social Networks and Happiness
By Nicholas A. Christakis & James H. Fowler
NICHOLAS A. CHRISTAKIS, a physician and sociologist, is a Professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in the Departments of Health Care Policy, Sociology, and Medicine. For the last ten years, he has been studying social networks. Nicholas Christakis's Edge Bio Page.
JAMES H. FOLWER is an internationally recognized political scientist who specializes in the study of social networks, human cooperation, and political participation. He is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. James Fowler's Edge Bio Page.
SOCIAL NETWORKS AND HAPPINESS
Happiness is a fundamental object of human existence. To the extent that it is synonymous with pleasure, it could even be said to be one of the "two sovereign masters" that, Jeremy Bentham argued, govern our lives. The other master, lest we forget, is pain.
Our happiness is determined by a complex set of voluntary and involuntary factors, ranging from our genes to our health to our wealth. Alas, one determinant of our own happiness that has not received the attention it deserves is the happiness of others. Yet we know that emotions can spread over short periods of time from person to person, in a process known as "emotional contagion." If someone smiles at you, it is instinctive to smile back. If your partner or roommate is depressed, it is common for you to become depressed.
But might emotions spread more widely than this in social networks-from person to person to person, and beyond? Might an individual's location within a social network influence their future happiness? And might social network processes-by a diverse set of mechanisms-influence happiness not just fleetingly, but also over longer periods of time?
Read more..
"We found that social networks have clusters of happy and unhappy people within them that reach out to three degrees of separation. A person's happiness is related to the happiness of their friends, their friends' friends, and their friends' friends' friends-that is, to people well beyond their social horizon. We found that happy people tend to be located in the center of their social networks and to be located in large clusters of other happy people. And we found that each additional happy friend increases a person's probability of being happy by about 9%.
Social Networks and Happiness
By Nicholas A. Christakis & James H. Fowler
NICHOLAS A. CHRISTAKIS, a physician and sociologist, is a Professor at Harvard University with joint appointments in the Departments of Health Care Policy, Sociology, and Medicine. For the last ten years, he has been studying social networks. Nicholas Christakis's Edge Bio Page.
JAMES H. FOLWER is an internationally recognized political scientist who specializes in the study of social networks, human cooperation, and political participation. He is currently an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. James Fowler's Edge Bio Page.
SOCIAL NETWORKS AND HAPPINESS
Happiness is a fundamental object of human existence. To the extent that it is synonymous with pleasure, it could even be said to be one of the "two sovereign masters" that, Jeremy Bentham argued, govern our lives. The other master, lest we forget, is pain.
Our happiness is determined by a complex set of voluntary and involuntary factors, ranging from our genes to our health to our wealth. Alas, one determinant of our own happiness that has not received the attention it deserves is the happiness of others. Yet we know that emotions can spread over short periods of time from person to person, in a process known as "emotional contagion." If someone smiles at you, it is instinctive to smile back. If your partner or roommate is depressed, it is common for you to become depressed.
But might emotions spread more widely than this in social networks-from person to person to person, and beyond? Might an individual's location within a social network influence their future happiness? And might social network processes-by a diverse set of mechanisms-influence happiness not just fleetingly, but also over longer periods of time?
Read more..
Access: Public
This is my experience. in my neighbourhood, I do not meet any one of my same interests. In the internet communities I find more people to discuss similar matters. I started blogging in two different communities but I could not meet any one there but now in Gaia and Face book, I meet lot of people of similar interests. I become more happy now. All my neighbours see some differnece in me and they are wondering as to what i am upto. They do not understand the internet communities. Further I meet my nieces and nephews too.
Exactly! Thats it, Sanmugan.
Similar with me. And professional connections too which have incredible power and leverage already.
The F2F communication and Online Communication are already shaped like a Moebius stripe. They shape each other. Though every realm has certain specific rules of its own.
A German Internet pioneer and entrepreneur spoke some years ago about a new phenomenon:
Vireality
I read a similar article recently in a local newspaper, where scientists had studdied village and small-town communities in order to gauge similar clusters of happiness. The results mirror the above study you mention, Albert.
Please check work of New York Artist Jonathan Harris too. Interesting analogies:
Revealing our modern mythology
I will leave this seed to ponder here, for some time , as there is no pressure.
I have had this idea for along time, yet it continues to develope.
My vision is not for me , yet for we, it would be a place like this yet so very unique. My plan would not to be taking from this site , networking, and working together.
It would be very, unique, and authentic also rich with love.
I possibly have a home for this, yet I would need conections to the most elite computer techs.
Truth, is I think I scared the poor guy, I do that sometimes:)