Publication Type

Journal Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

11-2016

Abstract

We propose the savanna theory of happiness, which suggests that it is not only the current consequences of a given situation but also its ancestral consequences that affect individuals’ life satisfaction and explains why such influences of ancestral consequences might interact with intelligence. We choose two varied factors that characterize basic differences between ancestral and modern life – population density and frequency of socialization with friends – as empirical test cases. As predicted by the theory, population density is negatively, and frequency of socialization with friends is positively, associated with life satisfaction. More importantly, the main associations of life satisfaction with population density and socialization with friends significantly interact with intelligence, and, in the latter case, the main association is reversed among the extremely intelligent. More intelligent individuals experience lower life satisfaction with more frequent socialization with friends. This study highlights the utility of incorporating evolutionary perspectives in the study of subjective well-being.

Keywords

evolutionary psychology, positive psychology, subjective well-being, population density, friendships

Discipline

Applied Behavior Analysis | Psychology

Research Areas

Psychology

Publication

British Journal of Psychology

Volume

107

Issue

4

First Page

675

Last Page

697

ISSN

0007-1269

Identifier

10.1111/bjop.12181

Publisher

Wiley: 12 months

Copyright Owner and License

Authors

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12181

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