Comments on: How to Choose Happiness: Combat 5 Decision-Making Biases http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php Understand your mind with the science of psychology - Mon, 04 May 2009 10:30:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ahmed deeb http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-24240 ahmed deeb Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:32:22 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-24240 believe me or not ... these tips where on my mind before i read the article... i thought of them before.. this is great ... nice topic keep it up :) believe me or not ... these tips where on my mind before i read the article... i thought of them before.. this is great ... nice topic keep it up :)

]]> By: NickStone http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-22227 NickStone Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:25:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-22227 It's strange how some people seem to have the 'inherent' ability to chose happiness, while others lack insight. <br /> The way the author articulated some of our biases toward positive or negative emotions was very helpful. <br /> Know I will be able to articulate to others a little more clearly how to 'chose' happiness in most all circumstances. It's strange how some people seem to have the 'inherent' ability to chose happiness, while others lack insight.
The way the author articulated some of our biases toward positive or negative emotions was very helpful.
Know I will be able to articulate to others a little more clearly how to 'chose' happiness in most all circumstances.

]]> By: MPJ http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-22113 MPJ Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:16:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-22113 Why is the bit about the contrast bias even included? First of all, it merely says that the contrast bias is "often incorrect" and the research shows that it "can be a mirage." "Often" is undefined and could mean any range of frequencies. You could take only the information from this paragraph and write an equally true paragraph with the exact opposite sense, saying it's "often correct" and "can be real."<br /><br />Further, the supporting research is on jelly bean tasting--in which the variance between pain/pleasure and the uncertainty of the events to follow are miniscule. In real life, where the decision-making consequences are much greater, and the ability to predict them reduced, a hedonic contrast effect seems likely to appear.<br /><br />The contrast bias is consistent (and lack of contrast bias inconsistent) with the principle of diminishing marginal utility. The marginal utility (or pleasure) of the 2nd (or n+1th), identical, positive event is likely to be less than the 1st (or nth). For example, taking a walk in the park after a hard day at work will be more restorative then if you instead of worked, just took another walk in the park.<br /><br />The post is otherwise interesting, but the oversight in that section is too glaring to go unmentioned. Why is the bit about the contrast bias even included? First of all, it merely says that the contrast bias is "often incorrect" and the research shows that it "can be a mirage." "Often" is undefined and could mean any range of frequencies. You could take only the information from this paragraph and write an equally true paragraph with the exact opposite sense, saying it's "often correct" and "can be real."

Further, the supporting research is on jelly bean tasting--in which the variance between pain/pleasure and the uncertainty of the events to follow are miniscule. In real life, where the decision-making consequences are much greater, and the ability to predict them reduced, a hedonic contrast effect seems likely to appear.

The contrast bias is consistent (and lack of contrast bias inconsistent) with the principle of diminishing marginal utility. The marginal utility (or pleasure) of the 2nd (or n+1th), identical, positive event is likely to be less than the 1st (or nth). For example, taking a walk in the park after a hard day at work will be more restorative then if you instead of worked, just took another walk in the park.

The post is otherwise interesting, but the oversight in that section is too glaring to go unmentioned.

]]> By: Karl Perera http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-22053 Karl Perera Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:12:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-22053 It seems to me that over analysing all these biases doesn't really contribute to the discussion about what makes people happy. Still it's interesting to discuss why people do not choose to be happy. I agree with the premise of this article that decisions affect how we feel and can cause us to fall into <a href="http://www.depression-helper.com" rel="nofollow">depression</a> depression if we make the wrong ones or if we don't make the right decisions and worst of all, not making any decisions! It seems to me that over analysing all these biases doesn't really contribute to the discussion about what makes people happy. Still it's interesting to discuss why people do not choose to be happy. I agree with the premise of this article that decisions affect how we feel and can cause us to fall into depression depression if we make the wrong ones or if we don't make the right decisions and worst of all, not making any decisions!

]]> By: DLPSONIC http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-22044 DLPSONIC Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:25:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-22044 Decreasing unhappiness increases happiness, silly sally. Decreasing unhappiness increases happiness, silly sally.

]]> By: Bacterium http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-21933 Bacterium Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:51:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-21933 these can certainly decrease my unhappiness...now can you tell me how to increase my happiness! these can certainly decrease my unhappiness...now can you tell me how to increase my happiness!

]]> By: Michael http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-21800 Michael Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:02:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-21800 Excellent post. I love getting the inside scoop on these biases. Nice concise descriptions.<br /><br />I am currently reading a book that looks at these biases called the Happiness Hypothesis. Another book that looked at these in depth was Stumbling on Happiness. Both are good, but for readers who are intrigued with this post, I would highly recommend the Happiness Hypothesis. Excellent post. I love getting the inside scoop on these biases. Nice concise descriptions.

I am currently reading a book that looks at these biases called the Happiness Hypothesis. Another book that looked at these in depth was Stumbling on Happiness. Both are good, but for readers who are intrigued with this post, I would highly recommend the Happiness Hypothesis.

]]> By: Sheena http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5.php/comment-page-1#comment-21608 Sheena Thu, 29 May 2008 22:20:00 +0000 http://spring.org.uk/2008/05/how-to-choose-happiness-combat-5-decision-making-biases.php#comment-21608 Great tips :) Really interesting. Seems like I'm going to love this blog. Great tips :) Really interesting. Seems like I'm going to love this blog.

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