meet yale professor who teaches a course on happiness

What is Yale’s most popular class on happiness?

Two years ago, Dr. Laurie Santos, who has taught psychology at Yale for 17 years, began teaching a class on happiness—Psychology & the Good Life—that quickly became the university’s most popular class ever.

Who is Yale's most popular psychology professor?

(CNN) When Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos witnessed the severity of the depression, anxiety and stress her students were facing, she decided to do something about it. Her "happiness" course -- which she began teaching live in 2018 -- became Yale's most popular class in over 300 years, according to the university.

Can a psychology professor teach you how to be happy?

When a Yale University psychology professor set out to teach a new course on how to be happy, the reaction was stunning. When Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos set out to teach a new course on how to be happy, the reaction was stunning.

How popular is the pursuit of happiness online course?

A Yale University professor's course on the pursuit of happiness has seen a surge in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic after being made available for free online. Psychology professor Laurie Santos started the course in 2018. In April 2019, before the pandemic, the course had 22,500 monthly users.

What does Santos teach in her class?

In the class, Santos teaches the science behind the good life with a twist on requirements, what she calls “rewirements”—practices that can rewire our habits such as savoring the moment, expressing gratitude and experiencing social connections.

How to improve your well being?

Jotting down a few things you’re grateful for daily can dramatically improve well-being as does expressing it to others. For homework, she assigns the gratitude visit. Write a letter of gratitude and deliver it in person. It’s a note the recipient will cherish and the act can boost your own happiness for months.

Who is Laurie Santos?

Two years ago, Dr. Laurie Santos, who has taught psychology at Yale for 17 years, began teaching a class on happiness—Psychology & the Good Life—that quickly became the university’s most popular class ever. She gave NIH’ers a crash course at a Feb. 6 Deputy Director for Management Seminar, speaking to an enthusiastic, ...

Does genetics affect happiness?

While research shows that some genetic factors contribute to happiness, even if you’re a genetically predisposed grump, there’s plenty you can do to find and cultivate happiness, and perhaps spread a little joy to others too. Two years ago, Dr. Laurie Santos, who has taught psychology at Yale for 17 years, began teaching a class on ...

How much of our happiness depends on external circumstances?

Only a measly ten percent of our happiness levels depend on external circumstances that we can't control (i.e. meeting the love of your life, winning the lottery, etc.). Which means that 40% of our happiness levels derive from things we can control (i.e. how we see the world, how we behave, etc.).

How much of happiness is genetic?

In her book, The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky looked at the happiness measures of sets of identical twins, and found that while life circumstances only affect 10 percent of our happiness levels, a whopping 50% of what determines how happy we are is genetic. The realization that your levels of happiness are determined by your genetics in such ...

How does taking time out help you?

Research has shown that taking time out to recognize and experience what you have in life can boost your mood, lower your stress levels, strengthen your immune system, feel a stronger social connection, and lower your blood pressure.

Why is the brain hardwired to adapt?

The brain is hardwired to adapt as a survival tactic that helps us to get through the worst of times, but it's also a big impediment to our ability to stay consistently happy.

Do happiness levels taper off after poverty?

And studies have long shown that while there's a difference in happiness between people living on the poverty line and those who make comfortable salaries, after a certain amount, the happiness levels taper off entirely .

Does finding the one make you happy?

In spite of what Disney movies might have promised, finding "the one" won't make you permanently happy. Santos points to one study in which a large group of people were surveyed for many years.

Does loneliness increase the risk of heart disease?

It's a serious issue, given that loneliness increases the risk of heart disease and stroke , causes anxiety and depression, increases your risk of suicide, and doubles the risk of premature death in both men and women. Research has found that people who have strong family bonds live the longest and happiest lives.

How many students are in Psychology and the Good Life at Yale?

“Psychology and the Good Life,” which began this semester, is the most popular class in the history of Yale College, with more than 1,200 students enrolled, the Yale Daily News reported.

How to improve your well being?

Find some time to be mindful. Meditate for five or 10 minutes a day to increase well-being. You can go for any type of meditation you like — just schedule the time, sit down in a quiet spot, close your eyes and be in the present moment. Santos likes to do a loving kindness meditation.

What are some lessons from Santos?

Here are six of her happiness lessons: 1. Spend time and energy in the right way. We tend to strive for certain things we think will make us happy — a job with a big salary or perfect grades — when in practice, we don’t enjoy them as much as we think, Santos said.

Why did Santos start the class?

No one is more surprised by the course's popularity than Santos, who started the class to help students navigate stress, depression and other mental health challenges. But it’s not just young people who are looking for answers. The course hit a nerve well beyond Yale, with media clamoring to interview Santos about her lessons.

Who is the professor of psychology at Yale University?

The course in question is "The Science of Well-Being," taught by Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos, available for free on Coursera. In March 2020, fewer than half a million people had enrolled. As of April 2021, the number was 3.43 million — making it Coursera's second most popular class of all time.

How long are Yale lectures?

Once you've been through the class, you can see how it's been laid out. There are five lectures filmed at Yale over five weeks. They have been broken up into chunks of no more than 20 minutes each, and further broken up by pop quizzes that appear on screen to make sure you're paying attention.

Is the public transit experiment true?

That's true of gratitude letters, it's certainly true of the public transit experiment (conducted by Nicholas Epley of the University of Chicago, whose interview is one of the standout moments of the course), and it's true of giving money to others.

What is the course Psychology and the Good Life?

Searching for love in the time of coronavirus. So she created a course called “Psychology and the Good Life,” which starts by offering students insights from psychology and neuroscience about what drives happiness. In its second half, the course challenges students in behavior change exercises to help rewire the brain.

Is the science of well being free?

The course went online for free about two years ago under the name "The Science of Well Being," according to the Yale Daily News. Anyone can audit the course for free, and $49 lets you complete assignments, submit them for a grade and earn a certificate of completion.