UBCO Psychology Professor Examines Science of Happiness

Personal decisions can undermine or improve your route to happiness

What: Science of Happiness 2: Happiness and Choices

Who: UBC Assoc. Prof Mark Holder

When: Wednesday, November 6, from 7 to 9 p.m.

Where: Kelowna Community Theatre, 1375 Water St, Kelowna

Registration required: http://sciencehappiness.eventbrite.ca/

Assoc. Prof. Mark Holder uses humour and evidence-based research during his community talk about personal happiness at Science of Happiness 2: Happiness and Choices, Wednesday, November 6, a free UBC event.

Decision remorse. We’ve all experienced it. At your favourite restaurant you struggle through a multi-page menu, finally decide on an entrée, and as soon as it arrives, you wish you had selected what your companion is having. While first happy with such a large selection, you are disappointed with your choice. Your happiness has evaporated.

Assoc. Prof. Mark Holder, who teaches psychology in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, leads a research team at UBC’s Okanagan campus that investigates the science of positive psychology and happiness. The decisions we make, he says, contribute significantly to our pathways to happiness.

Join Holder at a community event next week, where he will talk about his research, the evidence he has uncovered, and the real science behind personal happiness.

“Our happiness and the choices we make are co-related,” he says. “The more choices we are given, the happier we think we will become. Unfortunately, we often feel overwhelmed by the selection of choices and this in turn, decreases our overall happiness.”

Using humour, psychology, and evidence-based research, Holder will discuss the science of happiness and highlight how choices affect our pathways to happiness, and how some choices can ultimately undermine our happiness.

Holder’s research team has examined several topics including how happiness is linked to marijuana, spirituality, money, leisure, electronic media devices, and gratitude.

Science of Happiness 2: Happiness and Choices, takes place Wednesday, November 6 at the Kelowna Community Theatre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Holder’s talk is part of Thrive week at UBC’s Okanagan campus, a week-long initiative that focuses on building positive mental health for UBC faculty, staff and students.

This event is free, but advance registration is required at http://sciencehappiness.eventbrite.ca/