| We have all heard the old cliche- Laugh and the world | | | | It is also interesting that the effects was stronger |
| laughs with you, cry and you cry alone. According to | | | | with friends of the same gender and that the |
| a scientific study, happiness is quite literally | | | | effects was even stronger than having a happy |
| contagious. If you surround yourself with happy | | | | spouse. |
| people, it will have a deep and lasting effect on your | | | | In other research, Andrew Steptoe, psychology |
| own happiness. | | | | professor at the University College London noted |
| According to an article by Maria Cheng of the | | | | that being happy also brings other benefits including a |
| Associated Press, a research paper released in a | | | | protective effect on your immune system to you |
| British medical journal concluded that happiness is | | | | produce fewer stress hormones. So not only do you |
| contagious and that people pass on their good cheer | | | | feel good being happy but, you will actually be |
| even to total strangers. | | | | healthier. |
| The study was carried out by American researchers | | | | There are also other reasons why it might be wise |
| on a group of 4,700 subjects in Framingham, Mass. | | | | to choose your social networks (friends) carefully. In |
| The study also found that the transferred happiness | | | | a previous study by Nicholas Christakis of Harvard |
| can last up to a year. | | | | and James Fowler of the University of California (the |
| The study noted that happy people tended to be at | | | | authors of this study) also found that obesity and |
| the center of social networks and had many friends | | | | smoking habits also spread socially. |
| who were also happy. Having friends or siblings | | | | One of the interesting aspects of the study also |
| nearby increased a person's chance of being happy | | | | added to the old cliche in that: cry and you cry alone. |
| and that also that happiness spread outward by | | | | The study also showed that grumpy and negative |
| three degrees-not only to friends but also to the | | | | people had far less effect on a social networks |
| friends of friends. | | | | happiness than more positive people had. So, while |
| One area that the research did not address was the | | | | you may wish to surround yourself with happy, you |
| advent of internet social networks. While it is believed | | | | don't have to drop your grumpy friends. In fact, |
| that the internet social networks may have the same | | | | maybe your happiness will be contagious to them. |
| effect, there is no proof of this as they did not exist | | | | One interesting side-note in the study is that a |
| at the time of the study-2003. While it would seem | | | | sudden influx of extra money did not have nearly the |
| that social networking on the net may help, it may | | | | effect on happiness as having happy friends. In a |
| also be that directs contact (person to person) may | | | | way, that also supports another one of those old |
| be a necessary ingredient for this contagion of | | | | cliches-money doesn't buy happiness. |
| happiness to work. | | | | |