"Harvard Happiness Psychology II" : Positive Psychology -- A Scientific Method to Solve the Overlooked Question: Why Aren’t “Winners” Happy?
- FOFA
- Jun 21
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 22
Tal Ben-Shahar's Positive Psychology has become one of the most popular courses at Harvard, attracting over 1,400 students (20% of Harvard's undergraduate population). Several key factors explain its success:
1. Addressing Students’ Pain Points: The “Winner’s Dilemma” at Harvard
Background: Harvard students are generally seen as “winners in life,” but many suffer from high levels of stress, anxiety, and even depression.
Research shows that approximately 80% of Harvard students experience severe anxiety during their studies, and 50% feel persistently lonely (Harvard Crimson survey).
Course Focus: Ben-Shahar doesn’t teach “how to be more successful” but rather “how to be happier,” directly addressing the psychological needs of elite students.
Student Feedback: “This course made me realize that success ≠ happiness, and I had never seriously thought about the latter before.”
2. Scientific and Practical: Happiness Is a Trainable Skill
Moving Beyond Generic Advice: The course is grounded in psychological experiments and data, such as:
Gratitude Experiment: Writing down three good things every day for two weeks significantly boosts happiness (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).
