Maria Konnikova
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Rose Is Still the Best Color to Cure the Blues
Seeing the world through rose-colored glasses may be more than just a cliché. Recent fMRI data from the University of Toronto raise the possibility that your mood can influence actual visual perception. So who sees better: the optimist or the pessimist? … Read More
June 25, 2009 | In Love, Sex, & Happiness
Setting Goals for an A and a Whole Lot More
How to improve a struggling student's academic performance has bedeviled educators and parents alike. Is poor performance the fault of the curriculum, the teachers, the student, conditions at home or socioeconomic status? A recent meta-assessment conducted at Duke promises some answers. … Read More
June 23, 2009 | In Politics & Policy
When Looking for Happiness, Take the Long View
The positive effects of happiness go well beyond simply feeling good. Researchers have repeatedly shown happiness to increase success, financial gain, mental health and even longevity. And through painstaking experimental work, they've narrowed down the direction of the causal arrow. … Read More
June 11, 2009 | In Love, Sex, & Happiness
Maria Konnikova commented on When Looking for Happiness, Take the Long View on June 12, 2009, 1:33 PM
Vicki, Thank you for your thoughtful response. Living in the moment is indeed learned behavior, and one that we need to remind ourselves of frequently. I'm glad to hear that you've tried passing the enjoyment of everyday life on to your daughters, and am sure that over time, they will reflect on the wisdom of the advice. You're right to point to the importance of everyday choices--and it's not just the decisions to do one thing versus another that matter, but the decisions to focus on the positive aspects of events that we did not choose to experience that will prove critical over the longterm.