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

• Topics

  The aim of this course is, simply put, to learn strategies and principles for leading a happier life. Based on research from the field of psychology and behavioural economics, you will learn how people, organisation and consumers can avoid fallacies, make better decisions and become more content. 

  The course is inspired by ‘Psychology and the Good Life’, the most popular course ever to be held at Yale University. The course focuses on two main questions: 1) What makes us happy? and 2) What makes organisations and consumers happy? 

  Important topics are: psychological bias, nudging, needs and motivation, self-control, habits, time versus money, social identity and status, autonomy, entrepreneurship, health, justice and social responsibility. 

  The teaching is a mixture of plenary lectures, guest lectures and a course assignment. 

• 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 perspective 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

  Plenary lectures, guest lectures and group-based assignments

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  None

• Compulsory Activity

  Approved self-reflection note (2 pages) linked to tasks/exercises to be completed individually

• Assessment

  1 hours individual multiple choice (30%). Home exam.

  Written term paper in groups of 3-5 students on a selected topic (70%).

  The exam is to be written in English or Norwegian.

• Grading Scale

  A-F

• Computer tools

  None

• Literature

  Electronic compendium with selected articles