The Science of Happiness

By PRX and Greater Good Science Center

Social Sciences

What's The Science of Happiness about?

Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning professor Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRI and UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center.

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Why We Give Thanks

11.25.2021

Thank you. Gracias. Merci. Every language has a word for gratitude. But why do we feel it? How can we experience more of it? We revisit some of our favorite episodes about the science of gratitude.

The Science of Happiness episodes:

11.25.2021 Why We Give Thanks Thank you. Gracias. Merci. Every language has a word for gratitude. But why do we feel it? How can we experience more of it? We revisit some of our favorite episodes about the science of gratitude.
11.11.2021 Do You Feel Pressed for Time? What happens when we share our time? Our guest, chef and author Bryant Terry, pauses to be present with the ones who matter most.
10.28.2021 Why You Should Make Small Goals Comedian Paula Poundstone tries to take on a messy and daunting task, one small step at a time.
10.14.2021 Do You Want to Slow Down? Anna Sale, host of Death, Sex, and Money, practices awe as an antidote to her anxiety.
09.30.2021 Can You Mend a Broken Bond? They were childhood best friends until one came out as queer. Now, two college students reconnect and try to see the world through one another's eyes.
09.16.2021 100 Good Things For our 100th episode, host Dacher Keltner sits in the guest chair and tries one of the most popular happiness practices.
09.02.2021 What Happens When We Play When was the last time you went down a slide? Our guest tries a practice to bring more play into his life and explores what that means as a Black man in the U.S.
08.19.2021 How to Not Take People for Granted What would life be like without the people you care most about? Our guest tries a practice to help appreciate loved ones.
08.05.2021 How to Tune Out the Noise Our guest uses her breath to find calm in some of Los Angeles' noisiest neighborhoods.
07.22.2021 Don't be Afraid of Your Anger What happens when we suppress our anger? And what if we tried to work with it instead? Our guest tries a practice to harness her inner fierceness to care for herself.
07.08.2021 How to Enjoy Life More with Michael Pollan Michael Pollan tries to get more out of life by temporarily giving up one of his pleasure.
06.24.2021 How to Craft Your Life When the world around you changes, so can your goals. This week's guest tries a practice to tap into a new sense of purpose.
06.10.2021 Noticing Nature in the City
05.27.2021 What Humans Can Learn From Trees Trees don't just compete with one another for resources, they also cooperate. Scientist and author Suzanne Simard explains the surprising science of trees.
05.13.2021 Finding Strength through Gratitude A doctor who serves communities in dire need shares how gratitude helps him find light in the darkness.
04.29.2021 Why Love Needs Laughter Focusing on funny things can reduce stress, anxiety, and make us feel more connected to others. Our guests, who were high school sweethearts, learn how humor can also strengthen relationships.
04.15.2021 How Music Can Bridge Cultures Have you ever been moved by music sung in a language you don't understand? We speak with Gambian musician Sona Jobarteh about how music can connect us across cultures.
04.01.2021 How Music Soothes Us What is it about certain melodies that can relax our nerves and rock us to sleep? We explore the science of calming music with pianist Rosey Chan.
03.18.2021 David Byrne on How Music Connects Us Music helped former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne come out of his shell. Hear Byrne's story and learn how music creates social bonds in part one of our series, The Science of Music and Happiness.
03.04.2021 Scheduling Time to Feel Awe(some) Feeling awe can boost your mood and make you feel more connected with others. Comedian Chris Duffy learns how to tap into that sense.
02.18.2021 Why We're Drawn to Nature What happens when we spend time outdoors? We explore how getting out in nature can restore peace of mind—and make us more creative.
02.04.2021 Are You Setting the Right Goals? Setting goals can sometimes feel like setting ourselves up for failure. But journalist Monica Campbell finds there's something magical that happens with certain kinds of goals.
01.21.2021 Healing Through Gratitude A stranger helped her through the hardest day of her life. When she expresses her gratitude, our guest encounters the power of true connection.
01.07.2021 How to Talk with Strangers The way we interact with people who come in and out of our lives has changed since COVID-19. Our guest tries a practice to connect with strangers while keeping a social distance.
12.24.2020 Happy Again: How to Connect When You Must Stay Apart (Encore) Are you unable to be with your friends and family during the holiday season this year? These 36 questions can bring you closer to loved ones, even if you're separated.
12.10.2020 Are You Listening to Your Elders? Connecting across generations is one of the oldest happiness practices there is. We explore why to honor your elders, along with other practices from indigenous cultures often overlooked by Western science.
11.26.2020 How to Make Better Decisions Can practicing mindfulness make us wiser? Judge Jeremy Fogel explores how being present in the moment helps him keep a clear mind and stay connected to his true values.
11.12.2020 How to Give Up a Grudge What does it really take to forgive someone? And why should we do it? Our guest, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, tries a practice to let go of anger.
10.29.2020 Why Voting Connects Us Why do we vote? We explore the science behind what drives us to the polls, and the benefits we reap for ourselves and communities when we cast our ballots.
10.22.2020 How to Ride With the Pain It's easy to be anxious and uncertain about the future—especially if you're eight months pregnant. Our guest tries practices to help her deal with whatever life throws her way.
10.08.2020 If You Want to Be More Productive, Cut Yourself Some Slack Feeling hard on yourself? Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp learns to quiet his inner critic and tap into his highest potential.
09.24.2020 A Cure for Loneliness Feeling lonely? Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy learns why focusing on the quality of our relationships, not the quantity, can be an antidote.
08.27.2020 24 Hours of Kindness Why should you be nice? Our guest explores how small, daily acts of kindness can produce meaningful life changes.
08.13.2020 How to Switch Off Your Critics Do you obsess over negative feedback? Shereen Marisol Meraji, of NPR’s Code Switch, tries a better way to cope.
07.30.2020 How to Reconnect with Your Partner A couple try a practice to bring more excitement and passion into their relationship, even while sheltering-in-place.
07.16.2020 Do You Want to Be More Patient? We can be at our worst with the people we love best. Our guests try ways to be more calm and present with those closest to them.
07.02.2020 How to Love People You Don't Like Our guest tries a practice to help her feel compassion toward others — even those she disagrees with.
06.18.2020 What's Your "Why" in Life? Adrian Michael Green asks big questions designed to help teens — and adults — find more meaning and purpose in their lives.
06.11.2020 From Othering to Belonging We speak with john a. powell, director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, about racial justice, well-being, and widening our circles of human connection and concern.
06.04.2020 Taking Small Steps Toward Big Goals When our world is turned upside down, how do we keep moving forward? Our guest, award-winning author Christine Day, sets a new path for herself.
05.21.2020 How to Connect When You Must Stay Apart Do you want to be famous? What's a favorite memory? These 36 questions can bring you closer to loved ones, even if you're separated.
05.07.2020 Give Yourself a Break Want to calm your inner critic? Our guest tries a practice to find more self-compassion during uncertain times.
04.23.2020 Helping Kids Think About the Good Sheltering-at-home with kids? These questions can help them, and us, focus on the good things in life.
04.09.2020 Remembering to Breathe How a doctor stays calm and centered during times of uncertainty, one breath at a time.
03.26.2020 Staying Close While Physical Distancing Our guest tries a practice to feel more connected to loved ones, and herself, while sheltering at home.
03.12.2020 Who Would You Be Without Them? Think of an important person in your life. Now imagine you never met. Our guest practices counting his blessings by picturing his life without a special person from his past.
02.27.2020 Step Away from Anxiety Do you have a hard time calming your nerves? Author Raina Telgemeier tries a practice to get out of her head, one step at a time.
02.13.2020 Who Is Your Rock? He survived the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, two years ago and has been a student mental health advocate ever since. Now Kai Koerber finds a way to thank the person who helped him find his voice.
01.30.2020 What Does It Take To Really Listen To Someone? Are you actually listening when someone is talking to you, or just waiting for your turn to talk? Our guest, a veteran of the Iraq War, practices how to truly listen to others.
01.16.2020 Why Shared Goals Can Bridge Divides How can people from different groups get on the same page? Our guest, an educator and football coach, tries a strategy for building stronger, more inclusive teams.

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