The following keywords will help you get started in the library catalog and databases as well as on the web:

• positive psychology

• happiness

• collective happiness 

• eudaimonia

• flow

• fulfillment

• positive emotions

• subjective well-being

• resilience              

A sample search:

Some Experts and Researchers

Positive Psychology Center
Martin Seligman
Daniel (Dan) Gilbert
Sonja Lyubomirsky
Barbara Frederickson  

1. Is our happiness determined mostly by our attitude or outlook on life, our life circumstances (such as health, wealth, race, class, gender, and/or social standing), or a subtle blend of these two sets of factors?

2. Do creators of films and novels have any kind of moral obligation to their audiences  to create a happy ending? (Note that whatever your own view is on this, some human cultures have in fact fostered the belief that authors have such an ethical duty.)

3. If ignorance is bliss, as the saying goes, what is the role of a formal education in making us happy in the truest sense?

4. What can sports or competitive games (including video games) teach us about happiness? (Pick one of these specific categories.) 

5. Is there a provable connection between making music—or another fine art, performing art, or competitive art (such as dance, or a traditional martial art)—a central part of one’s life AND being happy? 

6. In recent years, the “Makers” culture of people who make or build inventions or other technological and/or artisanal creations has become extremely popular in the US and elsewhere. What case can be made for a link between being such a Maker or creator/inventor and being happy? 

7. Does our own happiness depend on how we contribute to the happiness of other people (and/or other living beings)? How can available evidence about careers or personal pursuits in human services, social activism, criminal justice, or other related areas help make the case for such a cause-and-effect link?

8. What, if any, is the scientific link between regular exercise and stable, long-term happiness and well-being?

9. Can regular practice of mindfulness meditation—or a related contemplative / spiritual practice—lead to stable, long-term happiness?

10. Is happiness linked to fixing or at least vastly improving interpersonal (and other) communication—given the perennial ability of human beings to communicate poorly with and misunderstand each other?

Not every  resource you find is worthy of your time.

Use this guide to help you evaluate your resource for:

• Currency

• Relevance

• Authority

• Accuracy

• Purpose

CRAAP TEST from UC San Diego

If you need help with editing your research paper, check out these student resources at TXCC.

• Tutoring Center
• English Lab