PUBLISHER: Harper Perennial
GENRES: Psychology Books, Nonfiction Books
AUTHORS: Daniel Gilbert , Daniel Todd Gilbert
PAGES: 277 pages
ISBN13: 9780007183135
TAGS: Psychology Books, Nonfiction Books, Free Books, PDF Books
LANGUAGE: en
TYPE: Digital
“Stumbling on Happiness” by Daniel Gilbert is a book that explores the concept of happiness and how humans often misjudge what will make them happy in the future. Gilbert, a psychology professor at Harvard University, argues that our minds have a “psychological immune system” that helps us feel happy even when things don’t go as planned. He also discusses how our brains are not well-equipped to predict what will make us happy, often leading to poor decision-making.
The book is divided into several parts, each addressing different aspects of human psychology and happiness. Gilbert explains that our brains use mental shortcuts, or heuristics, to predict future emotions, but these shortcuts are often flawed. For example, we tend to focus on specific details of a future event (like getting a promotion) without considering the broader context (like the added responsibilities that come with it).
Gilbert also discusses how our memories of past experiences can influence our predictions about future happiness. He introduces the concept of “synthetic happiness,” which is the happiness we create when we convince ourselves that a less-than-ideal outcome is actually what we wanted all along. This suggests that we have a remarkable ability to adapt to new circumstances and find happiness, even in situations we initially thought would make us unhappy.
Throughout the book, Gilbert uses humor and relatable examples to explain complex psychological concepts. He also includes insights from psychology experiments and studies to support his arguments. Overall, “Stumbling on Happiness” offers a fascinating look into the human mind and how our perceptions of happiness can influence our decisions and well-being.
