evidence-based wisdom

ON WISDOM Podcast – Episode 28: Pandemic Happiness (with Sonja Lyubomirsky)

Posted on May 12, 2020 Updated on May 28, 2021

The On Wisdom podcast features a social-cognitive scientist in Toronto and an educator in London discussing the latest empirical science regarding the nature of wisdom. Igor Grossmann runs the Wisdom & Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Charles Cassidy runs the Evidence-Based Wisdom project in London, UK. The podcast thrives on a diet of freewheeling conversation on wisdom and decision-making, and includes regular guests spots with leading behavioural scientists from the field of wisdom research and beyond. Welcome to The On Wisdom Podcast.

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ABOUT THIS EPISODE

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Is happiness research even relevant in such times of crisis, or is focusing on our happiness simply a luxury we can no longer afford?

And, while effective for many people, why does the cultivation of gratitude sometimes result in unexpectedly negative consequences? 

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Distinguished Professor and Vice Chair of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside Sonja Lyubomirsky joins Igor and Charles to discuss the key components of happiness, lessons from 9-11, ‘happiness-intervention fit’, Mother Teresa’s dark side, and the unexpected psychological impact of the global pandemic to date. Igor reflects on life-under-lockdown vs life in the downfall of the Soviet Union, Sonja discusses the subtle art of balancing optimism with positive action, and Charles learns that when it comes to counting one’s blessings, it pays not to count too high.

Welcome to Episode 28.

Click here to listen to ‘Episode 28: Pandemic Happiness (with Sonja Lyubomirsky) in full.

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Click here to visit the On Wisdom Podcast site.

Click here to get to the podcast through iTunes.

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If you have any thoughts about the On Wisdom podcast, please get in touch.

You can get in contact at charles@evidencebasedwisdom.com, via the about page or find me on twitter @EBasedwisdom. You can also contact us through the On Wisdom site here or find us on twitter @onwisdompodcast.