Varieties of Happiness Experience: Review of Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness
Journal of Positive Psychology, Vol. 2, pp. 269-270, 2007
3 Pages Posted: 20 Feb 2010
Date Written: 2007
Abstract
This confusion about the activities of scientists and clinicians is reflected in booksellers’ varying decisions to shelve (often on opposite ends of the bookstore) Daniel Gilbert’s Stumbling on happiness under ‘‘Science,’’ ‘‘Cognitive Science,’’ ‘‘Psychology and Self-Help,’’ or all of the above. This inconsistent shelving and the confusion it reflects is a pity, because Gilbert’s book exemplifies how psychological science relates intimately to improving happiness, well-being, and the quality of life. Gilbert is among the most publicly visible psychological scientists seeking to help people live better, happier lives simply by understanding the basic psychological processes giving rise to everyday experience. Drawing insights from cognitive science, judgment and decision making, neuroscience, social psychology and behavioral economics, Gilbert integrates and reviews much of what psychological science tells us about happiness.
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