The aim of this paper was to address findings in contemporary research on happiness, specifically in the fields of science and social science. For the first couple of weeks, we spent time doing research by exploring the library catalogue. After doing so, we wrote and revised a literature review of our findings, with the aim of using it as a sort of introduction to the paper. We then came up with and defended a thesis regarding what science says about happiness, either by stating what factor(s) influence an individual’s level of happiness or arguing that certain factor(s) that we think may influence happiness do not in reality. For my paper, I decided to create a sort of sequel to the first paper, arguing that control and the perception of control over one’s actions play a significant role in determining one’s level of happiness. I use various different pieces of evidence to support this claim, from papers ranging from international survey analyses to controlled laboratory experiments. I also touch on the relevance of this topic in relation to the global COVID-19 crisis, suggesting that maintaining a high perception of control is integral to maintaining one’s level of happiness in a time when control over one’s actions seems to be lacking.
As someone who likes learning about science, doing the research for this paper was definitely enjoyable. However, I think that the biggest takeaway that I got from writing this paper is how important good writing is, even in the sciences! The paper by Mochon et al. that we read for class was incredibly well organized and flowed very nicely, which made the paper a nice read even with the technical terms and concepts underlying it. On the other hand, I have definitely come across in my research a fair share of papers that were quite difficult to read. While writing clearly on a topic that I am having trouble grappling with myself may be difficult, the importance of clear writing remains nonetheless: if very few people can understand what I am saying, then the potential impact of the results that I have found, no matter how groundbreaking they are, is greatly diminished.