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Reuters Science today reported on a couple of new studies that suggest people get as big of a kick out of being praised as they do by being handed cash. Our social standing is as important as our economic standing.

As reported in the piece, researchers “…found that these seemingly different kinds of rewards — a good reputation versus money — are biologically coded by the same neural structure, the striatum,” said Dr. Norihiro Sadato of the Japanese National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Okazaki, Japan.

The studies suggest that the need to be accepted by others is deeply ingrained within us. As is the processing of what our particular status is (and means) within a social hierarchy. From our earliest days as a species, people have had to concern themselves with their reputation within their group.

I think these insights give us plenty to think about when it comes to marketing products and services that make people feel that their status is somehow improved. It also helps shed light on the whole social networking phenomenon and the psychic rewards of sensing that our reputations are improving as our circle of “friends” expands. Read more here.

There’s a little economic ditty called the Easterlin Paradox (after economist Richard Easterlin) which suggests that economic growth within a country does not necessarily lead to greater happiness (except for those in poverty, struggling to stay alive, who then come upon the means to pay for basic necessities). What Easterlin believed had a greater impact on happiness was how much you made in comparison to others. The Easterlin paradox has been widely accepted since the early 70’s when it was first put forth.

But now the Easterlin Paradox is being challenged by two economists at the Brookings Institute: Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfer. Their research suggests that money does bring happiness (though, of course, there are no guarantees; the proverbial runaway bus that could mow you down may be gaining momentum around any corner). When they looked at data collected by the Gallup organization, countries with the higher GDP per capita were dramatically more likely to register higher on the happiness scale. So, you have countries like Italy, Greece, Norway, Israel and the U.S., to name a few, several points, at least, (on a ten-point scale) ahead of Indonesia, Peru, India, and China, to name a few.

My sense of all of this is that the truth, as it often does, likes to play in the middle. Money can do a lot of things, including buying one happiness, beyond just material things. Disposable income allows us to do things for others, take trips to places we’ve never been, discover and support new hobbies, all of which can add joy to our lives. If we have lots of dough, we can even retire early. Perhaps way early. But traveling the world alone because you have no friends. Or not shopping much during the holidays because, say, your family relationships are strained to the point where gift exchanging doesn’t occur. Well, money can’t fix those things. And, to really underscore the point, no matter how much you may have in your wallet or purse, and in your bank accounts, its not enough to end the Iraq War.

Here’s a story from the Times of India that provides some additional insight.

I’m not out to offend anyone’s political sensibilities, but some research analysis by Arthur Brooks suggests that conservatives are more happy than liberals. Conservatives were about twice as likely to call themselves “very happy” when compared to liberals. And you can’t blame it on President George Bush; according to the pollsters, conservatives have considered themselves happier than liberals for more than 35 years. It’s not due to income either. Despite stereotypes to the contrary, conservatives aren’t richer than liberals.

What is it then? Well, Brooks says that part of the answer is that conservatives are more likely to attend church every week. When you compare religious conservatives to secular liberals, the happiness gap grows ever wider. Secular liberals are, statistically speaking, as likely to say they are “not too happy” as they are to say they are “very happy.” Religious conservatives are ten times more likely to report being very happy than not too happy.

Brooks goes on to suggest that one of the fundamental reasons for the red v. blue happy gap is that conservatives are more apt to buy into the “work hard and whatever you want will be yours” philosophy. This sort of self-empowering, optimistic attitude is bound to keep anyone relatively hopeful and happy.

I consider myself a liberal — a very happy one — so this news took me a bit by surprise. That said, I have to concur that the liberal point of view is often one of “woe is me; woe is society.” Perhaps a bit more “trading up” among my fellow liberals can help turn this around. Maybe President Bush was right: we just need to keep shopping.

Once again my nose has found its way inside a really enjoyable and thought-provoking book. It’s called “Against Happiness,” and its written by Eric G. Wilson, an English professor at Wake Forest University. Though I’m not yet finished reading the book, I can sum up its main point like this:

The American culture is so happiness obsessed that we have forgotten what great value there is in melancholia. For one, being down in the dumps has led to many a brilliant expression in art, science and government. In addition, happiness doesn’t really make sense, nor can it be fully appreciate, without its antithesis.

The point isn’t to deliberately make one’s self feel bad or depressed. But, rather, that we should not be so quick to search for a quick-fix to our blues. To ignore them, deny them or run away from them is only to ultimately dull the shine of life.

As Wilson so eloquently puts it: “…to desire only happiness in a world undoubtedly tragic is to become inauthentic, to settle for unrealistic abstractions that ignore concrete situations.”

I’m for the pursuit of happiness as much as the next guy or gal, but this little book is a fine reminder that true joy exists only because there is also pain and despair.

The Gallup people tell us in a recent international study“But wait!”, you say. “Obviously those with TV’s have more money than those without and, therefore, can afford more happiness.” But, Gallup says, even when you consider those with and those without TV’s who make the same amount of money, people with the TV’s still come out happier.

I assume that there could be many reasons for this. Obviously, we all get a bang out of the boob tube now and then, and certainly laughing and smiling makes you happier. And with a million channels to choose from, we can really hone in on the kind of TV content that most interests us and makes us smile, whether that’s home remodeling or science fiction. But I also think that the products and services advertising on TV not only, in many cases, at least, entertain us, they also remind us of the things that we are fortunate enough to already own as well as remind us about those things we hope to own someday. That feels good and gives us a reason to be hopeful and optimistic.

If you’re hopeful and optimistic, you’re almost certainly happy, too, right?