Happiness and Relationships

Sociability

The degree to which people are sociable is one of the strongest predictors of frequent positive affect and life satisfaction. Researchers have used experience-sampling methodologies to collect information from people during in vivo social events. Typically, respondents are asked to complete a series of questions at random moments or immediately after every social interaction that lasts at least 10 minutes. By collecting comprehensive information about how people think and behave in their natural environment, researchers can examine factors that might influence the benefits of socializing. Most people—including those who are shy or introverted—consistently report greater positive affect when socializing compared with being alone. Similarly, people who spend a greater percentage of their time with others report being more satisfied with their lives. In the few longitudinal studies on the topic, being more sociable (as defined by self-reported talkativeness, assertiveness, and preferences for social gatherings) leads to greater happiness over time and, in turn, people experiencing more positive affect report larger and higher quality social networks across time.

The link between relationships and happiness is more modest, but still meaningful, when examining behavior in the laboratory. When talking to strangers, for example, research participants reporting being happier are observed to smile more [Page 786]frequently and be more talkative, energetic, and humorous. In turn, strangers perceive happier people as more likable and show a stronger interest in forming relationships with them. In other studies, people induced into good moods were observed to be more sociable when interacting with strangers and more likely to be talkative, responsive, and generous and to initiate humor. The benefits of social interactions tend to be stronger when they are less formal and relatively unstructured.

The studies reviewed focused on positive affect and life satisfaction as markers of happiness that are moderately correlated with various social outcomes. That said, it should not be inferred that negative affect is associated with lesser sociability. Recent evidence shows that positive and negative emotions are distinct psychological and neural systems, so that the correlation between measured positive and negative affect is often minimal. Furthermore, a substantial literature indicates that negative affect is not related to the size of a person's social network, frequency of naturally occurring social interactions, or overall social activity. When getting acquainted with strangers, the average person experiences a surge in positive affect but no change in negative affect. In specific cases, however, stressful and hurtful social interactions can lead to profound increases in negative affect, and in turn, people suffering from depression and other emotional disturbances often behave in ways that lead to social rejection.

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