Barnabás Szászi, a behavioral researcher at ELTE’s Faculty of Education and Psychology, recently launched a global research project exploring the various methods people use to achieve happiness. The goal of the study is to identify which practices and activities contribute to happiness and how these strategies work across different parts of the world.
The research seeks to determine where and which methods prove most effective, as well as what new methodological approaches are needed to better understand the topic.
The researcher shared that after reviewing a wide range of materials on happiness strategies, he became increasingly skeptical of popular recommendations from so-called happiness gurus.
The project aims to use empirical data to answer the question of which behavioral patterns, when integrated into daily life, can lead to an increase in positive emotions. He emphasized that the study focuses on short-term positive emotions, which are not equivalent to happiness, as happiness is a more complex and long-term state.
One of the study’s key objectives is to map out, based on current scientific knowledge, which behaviors—if adopted—can lead to experiencing more positive emotions. The findings could provide valuable insights for both psychological research and individuals striving for happiness around the world.
