The Science & Practice of Happiness | Laurie Santos

In 'The Science & Practice of Happiness | Laurie Santos' episode of 'The After On Podcast,' host Rob Reed interviews Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos, who has gained significant attention for her course on happiness at Yale. Initially an expert in animal cognition, Santos shifted her focus to positive psychology and the science of happiness. Her course, an experiment in addressing the mental health crisis on campuses, unexpectedly became Yale's most popular class in its 317-year history, attracting a quarter of the student body and widespread media coverage.

Reed and Santos discuss the origins of her interest in psychology, starting with a misunderstanding of office hours that led to her working in a cognitive neuroscience lab. Santos' academic journey took her from studying human memory to the theory of mind in monkeys and dogs, exploring their cognitive abilities and differences from humans. The episode then delves into Santos' observations of the mental health crisis among students, which propelled her to create the happiness course. She shares insights from the course, including the limitations of our intuitions about happiness, the impact of social connection, and the importance of 'rewirements'—practical activities that promote well-being.

The conversation touches on various research findings, such as the impact of salary on happiness, the inverse correlation between grades and well-being, and the benefits of social interactions, even for introverts. Santos emphasizes the importance of time affluence over material wealth, the power of negative visualization to appreciate one's circumstances, and the happiness derived from prosocial spending and acts of kindness. The episode concludes with Santos' aspirations for expanding the teachings of her course to younger audiences and the broader implications of her work on society's understanding of happiness.