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October 5, 2003 -- Happiness
is a good collection of genes.
That's science we're talking about, not fashion. A person's genetic makeup - and how it affects behavior - is the most important factor contributing to happiness, according to a new study in the current edition of New Scientist magazine. "We can now show which behaviors are risky as far as happiness goes, in the same way medical research has shown us what is bad for our health," researcher Professor Ruut Veenhoven said in an interview last week. Scientists studied 4,000 adult twins and concluded that genetic variance between the twins was responsible for up to 55 percent of differences in their degrees of happiness. But it's not all in the genes. Plenty of other factors dictate our happiness, the study found - and some more than you might think.
The study found that the second most important factor was being married, followed by the support of friends and family. The scientists claimed married couples were consistently happier than single adults or cohabiting couples who were not hitched. They also found that people close to extended family members were generally happier than those that lived mostly alone. The study also found that religious devotion leads to a longer and happier life. And at the bottom of the list of factors that bring happiness were money and intelligence. At least, that's what the scientists said. |
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