Notes on: Why Do Humans Care about Happiness?

'Why Do Humans Care about Happiness?' is taken from the course 'Managing Happiness' by Arthur Brooks on edX.org.

Why did humans evolve to care about happiness?

Paul Zak, a behavioural neuroscientist and economist, studies human connection and what happens in the brain that allows us to live together, work together and have relationships, and he suggests that there's a biological reason why humans are obsessed with happiness, and that is because happy people are more successful from an evolutionary perspective as well.

Having grandchildren is a good indicator that you have strong genes and are able to produce children who are also able to reproduce. One thing that happiness does, aside from, make us feel good, is it manifests into a positive quality that attracts potential partners as well. Happiness signifies this person does not struggle as much, and so there a much less risk being around them. Living with this person can increase the likelihood of having children who also grow up in an environment that enables them to thrive.

Neuroeconomics

The study of neuroeconomics, Paul Zak explains, measures brain activity when people are making decisions, and it has helped us discover the function and role of oxytocin.

Monitoring brain function while people make strategic decisions allowed us to identify what is happening when people are cooperating and when they have a conflict. One of those discoveries was that oxytocin is a key signalling molecule that helps us decide if a stranger is trustworthy or safe by reducing stress responses.

What exactly is oxytocin?

Oxytocin is an ancient chemical that's made in the brainstem and does its job outside of conscious awareness. It is responsible for some basic survival necessities, like initiating childbirth and breastfeeding, but it is also impacts our ability to be social.

What it means to be a social creature is that we thrive around others, and that is why when we look at the neuroanatomy of the human brain, we find many receptors for oxytocin in our frontal cortex, which allows us to be unconsciously sensitive to social signals.

From a happiness perspective, it shows us that being part of a community helps increase our overall life satisfaction.

Oxytocin and Empathy

Oxytocin also activates a larger network that increases our sense of empathy. We are much better social creatures when we care about things others are doing or talking about, and try to make meaningful connections with them.

The brain’s engineering produces empathy, which drives us toward virtue and away from vice. Oxytocin reinforces the positive feelings we derive from empathy as well as reducing aversion towards social interactions.

Research suggests that this ancient evolutionary molecule drives prosocial behaviour and benefits our lives and the lives of others. Our brains are programmed and wired to also direct self-interest toward mutually beneficial outcomes for ourselves and those around us.