SOL21 Happiness and the Good Life: How to make better decisions

• Topics

  The aim of this course, is to adopt a research-based perspective on happiness and meaning in life.

  As a student, you will be encouraged to connect the key principles from happiness research to your own life, as well as the lives of billions of other people around the world. You will get to learn more about the following questions, based on decades of research from psychology and behavioral economics:

  Why are some people happier and more satisfied with their lives than others? How important are stable differences within each person (genes and personality), as opposed to differences in our choices and the external society we live in? And importantly: What are the most promising principles and strategies that can be used to improve our long-term happiness?

  Lectures and course readings will cover common misunderstandings and mispredictions about happiness, what factors actually matter the most (and least) in shaping our happiness and meaning in life, and finally, how people can use this knowledge to make better decisions and create long-term behavioral change -- ranging from the individual level (yourself and the people you care about), among organizations and consumers, and in society. The course lectures and readings based on empirical knowledge from quantitative research methods, using a combination of correlational and experimental approaches.

  The course was initially inspired by ‘Psychology and the Good Life’, the most popular course ever to be held at Yale University, and has been taught at NHH since 2019 by Hallgeir Sjåstad and Helge Thorbjørnsen. It is currently tought by Hallgeir Sjåstad as the primary lecturer.

  Specific topics covered in the course include the following:

  Psychological biases in prediction and decision-making; the importance of basic human needs and motivation (social belonging and individual autonomy); physical health habits (exercise and sleep); pro-social behavior; the value of time versus money; material things versus shared experiences with others; status and social comparison; social media; behavior change; self-control strategies and habit formation; career choices; and leadership.

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  After completing the course, the student:

  • Has broad knowledge of key topics relating to happiness and well-being.
  • Has knowledge of key research articles and perspectives relevant to understanding how people, organisations, and consumers can achieve a higher level of satisfaction and happiness.
  • Has in-depth knowledge of a chosen topic in the course syllabus.

  Skills

  After completing the course, the student:

  • Can apply academic knowledge and relevant results to be able to make him/herself and his/her colleagues happier and capable of making reasonable choices.
  • Can summarise and critically assess research-based knowledge about what makes individuals, organisations, and consumers happy.

  General competence

  After completing the course, the student:  

  • Can exchange viewpoints and experiences with others based on the syllabus and apply key knowledge from the course in assessments and decisions in his/her own private and professional life.

• Teaching

  The teaching is a mixture of plenary lectures, guest lectures, and a course term paper. Students are expected to gain an overview of all the main topics covered, which will be tested with a broad knowledge quiz (multiple choice) focusing on basic understanding. For their course assignment, students will be encouraged to focus most deeply on a single self-selected topic they are especially interested in.

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  None

• Compulsory Activity

  Approved self-reflection note (2 pages) to be completed individually, based on experiences and learning outcomes from specific tasks/exercises/discussions conducted during the lectures.

  Previously approved compulsory activities remains valid.

• Assessment

  1. Group-based term paper (50%)

  A written term paper in groups of 3-5 students on a self-selected topic from the course, using a data-based approach to review and test their own hypotheses about happiness. The students work on the term paper from February and submit it toward the end of the semester, maximum 10 pages. The term paper can be written in English or Norwegian.

  2. Individual school exam (50%)

  A digital multiple-choice test of general knowledge from the course, conducted without online access or other helping resources, focusing more on showing core understanding than minor details. The test will include the main themes covered during the lectures and the selected course readings for these lectures, consisting of 50 questions in 90 minutes. The multiple-choice test will be conducted in English.

• Grading Scale

  A-F.

• Computer tools

  None.

• Literature

  Electronic compendium with selected articles in Leganto

• Permitted Support Material

  Calculator

  One bilingual dictionary (Category I)

  All in accordance with Supplementary provisions to the Regulations for Full-time Study Programmes at the Norwegian School of Economics Ch.4 and Examination support material.

• Retake

  Retake in SOL21 will not be offered during the non-teaching semester (autumn).

  For further information about NHH's retake policy, please see Retake of exams.