The Ultimate Happiness Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
2 min
The Ultimate Happiness Quiz
Image: Brand New Images/Stone/Getty Images

About This Quiz

The science of happiness has been booming lately, and we've found out a lot about who's happy, what makes us happy and how to become happy. Take this quiz to find out how much you know about the art of being happy.
What do psychologists consider the single most reliable indicator of happiness?
money
children
marriage
religion
leisure time
According to the 2003 Pew Global Attitudes Project (a survey of 38,000 men and women in 44 countries), who's happier -- men or women?
men
women
Who becomes happier as they age: men or women?
men
women

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What's the branch of psychology that studies what makes people happy?
contentment studies
positive psychology
satisfaction psychology
well-being studies
The World Map of Happiness and the World Values Survey measures happiness by asking questions about social connections, career satisfaction and political and economic stability. According to this survey, what's the happiest country in the world?
Costa Rica
Australia
South Africa
Norway
Switzerland
Latvia
Denmark
The Happy Planet Index analyzes a country's carbon footprint in relation to its population's happiness and life expectancy. According to the HPI, what's the happiest country in the world?
Mauritius
Samoa
Finland
New Zealand
Belize
Vanuatu
Taiwan

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Exercise can make you happy by lowering levels of this hormone, which is associated with stress.
cortisol
testosterone
progesterone
prolactin
insulin
Exercise can also increase happiness by causing your body to release these mood-boosting chemicals.
lipids
endorphins
opioids
In a nutshell, what does the Easterlin Paradox say about rich people?
They're happier than poor people.
They're more unhappy than poor people.

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After this certain point, what did Easterlin find made people happier than individual income?
their children
their income compared to their peers
the desire for future increased income
the respect of their peers
education
According to one study, happy people are surprisingly prone to what kind of behavior?
negative
violent
prejudicial
self-deprecating
rude
Which founding document promises "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" to the American people?
Constitution
the Declaration of Independence

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According to a brief roundup by the New York Times of happiness studies, marriage makes people happy but _____ doesn't.
being in love
having children
What two groups in the United States have reported lower levels of happiness in recent decades?
women and African-Americans
recent immigrants and married people
middle-aged men and frequent exercisers
nursing-home residents and wealthy bankers
single men and pre-schoolers
single mothers and Hispanics
Happy music stimulates our brain to release this chemical, the same one released by chocolate and sex.
dopamine
serotonin
norepinephrine

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According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which was the happiest state in 2009?
Oklahoma
Virginia
Hawaii
Ohio
Wyoming
California
Alaska
Utah
Florida
What was the only state on the East Coast listed in the top 10 of the Well-Being Index in 2009?
Rhode Island
Georgia
New Hampshire
South Carolina
Vermont
New Jersey
Hospitalized children are often made happiest by this kind of therapy.
music
play
puzzle
outdoor

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True or false: Studies have shown that pets make people happier.
true
FALSE
About how many years longer can happy people be expected to live than unhappy people?
5
10
15
20
25