Happiness Research

The topic of "Happiness" is becoming increasingly important in society and science. In the field of marketing, there is a growing interest in questions relating to the subject of positive psychology. Many successful brands have recognized the increasing relevance and adapt their communication strategies accordingly.

For a long time, science has been concerned with the question of whether and how happiness can be specifically influenced. However, recent studies have now discovered that individual happiness is largely determined by intrapersonal dispositions and is therefore relatively stable over time and fluctuates around a set point. Research in this area will build on these findings and investigate how different degrees of happiness affect consumer behaviour (e.g. in brand relationships).

Recommended starting literature:

• Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Amercian Psychologist, 56 (3), 218.

• Labroo, A. A., & Patrick, V. M. (2008). Psychological distancing: Why happiness helps you see the big picture. Journal of Consumer Research, 35 (5), 800-809.
  
  
• Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 131, No. 6.
  
  
• Zhong, J. Y., & Mitchell, V. W. (2012). Does consumer well-being affect hedonic consumption? Psychology & Marketing, 29 (8), 583-594.