The Science of Happiness - with Prof Bruce Hood

The Science of Happiness
Humanists often quote the American thinker Robert Ingersoll, who said 'Happiness is the only good. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. The way to be happy is to help make others so'.

However we rarely examine the truth of this. Modern research however is able to unravel what happiness is, and moreover to suggest how we humans can be happier. Most of us want to be happier, but our brains often get in the way. When we're too stuck in our heads we obsess over our inadequacies, compare ourselves with others and fail to see the good in our lives.

In The Science of Happiness, world-leading psychologist and happiness expert Bruce Hood will explain that the key to happiness is not self-care, but connection. Grounded in decades of studies in neuroscience and developmental psychology, this talk will tell a radical new story about the roots of wellbeing and the obstacles that lie in our path. With clear, practical takeaways throughout, Professor Hood demonstrates how we can all harness the findings of this science to re-wire our thinking and transform our lives. He presents seven simple, but life-changing, lessons to break negative thought patterns and re-connect with the things that really matter. For example you will discover that talking to strangers makes us happier, despite a majority of us shying away from such encounters, and that giving gifts to others activates the reward centres in our brain - often providing more of a happiness boost than spending money on oneself.

This talk will be based on Bruce Hood's recent book of the same name. Some reviews of the book:

'The most erudite, thoughtful, and original take on this important subject I have ever encountered. I learned something new in every chapter, and as a bonus it's a page-turning read' Michael Shermer, author of Why People Believe Weird Things

‘The Science of Happiness is a rare bird – a book that is grounded in the best new science, written with wit and wisdom, and provides clear and valuable lessons for living your best life. Highly recommended!’ Daniel Gilbert, author of the New York Times bestseller Stumbling on Happiness

Bruce Hood
is an award-winning Professor of Developmental Psychology at Bristol University and the author of several books including SuperSense, The Self Illusion, The Domesticated Brain and Possessed. His course, The Science of Happiness, is the most popular course at Bristol University, and students attending the course themselves end up happier!. He has appeared extensively on TV and radio, including co-hosting the BBC podcast The Happiness Half Hour in 2021. He is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science, the Royal Institution of Great Britain and the British Psychological Society.

Everyone is invited to attend. Bristol Humanists members are FREE. others we request £3/£1.