Channeling unhappiness, in good and bad economic times

Social Indicators Research IS watching television an indicator of happiness? The last 35 years have shown it is exactly the opposite. And given the financial crisis, it is an activity that is positively resulting in depression. It is in fact the unhappy people who watch more TV, found researchers from the University of Maryland after analysing US data of 35 years covering 30,000 adults. People who describe themselves as “very happy” spend more time reading and socialising. The unhappy ones watch 20 per cent more television than happy people. Televiewing — an undemanding activity — was found to provide instant gratification which has less positive effects in the long run. The researchers say while TV viewing may increase further in the coming months, the results might be worse.

With a clean conscience

Psychological Science

This is a piece of news that might be illuminating for India: it appears that our dirty roads and lack of civic sense may just be tied to our severity on moral issues, which sometimes has tragic consequences. Researchers from the University of Plymouth have found that even basic tidy habits — something as simple as washing hands — result in lessened disgust and tone down severity of reactions. The reason, they say, could be ritual purification — demanded by most religions — has been so hardwired in psyche that it instantly triggers a feeling of cleanliness and calm. An earlier study indicated that induced feelings of disgust — through showing disgusting sights, introducing foul smell or recalling a physically nauseating experience — resulted in heightened severity of moral reactions. In the context of morality, purity is not just a metaphor, the researchers conclude.

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