Happiness: Pathways and Pitfalls

You will explore the nature of happiness (what it is and isn't) and why the things we think will make us happy so often don't. More importantly, you will become familiar with evidence-based activities, habits, strategies and circumstances that are known to increase happiness, and can be applied to your own life and the lives of others. Course material will be drawn primarily from the fields of Positive Psychology, Humanistic Psychology and Evolutionary Biology, but will also include explorations of happiness as reflected in the works of popular artists, musicians, and writers. You will be encouraged to develop a personal philosophy of happiness that combines your own unique characteristics with evidence-based strategies for creating a well-lived life.