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发帖数: 768 | 1 很有趣的研究
ScienceDaily (May 2, 2011) — People who look at the past through
rose-tinted glasses are happier than those who focus on negative past
experiences and regrets, according to a new study published in the
journal Personality and Individual Differences. The study helps
explain why personality has such a strong influence on a person's
happiness. The findings suggest that persons with certain personality
traits are happier than others because of the way they think about their
past, present and future.
The study examined how peoples' ratings on the "Big Five" personality
traits relates to their approach to time and life satisfaction. The "Big
Five" model assesses how extraverted, neurotic, open, conscientious and
agreeable a person is, and rates individuals as high or low on each
personality trait rather than assigning them a personality type.
"We found that highly extraverted people are happier with their lives
because they tend to hold a positive, nostalgic view of the past and are
less likely to have negative thoughts and regrets. People high on the
neurotic scale essentially have the exact opposite view of the past
and are less happy as a result," said Ryan Howell, assistant professor
of psychology at San Francisco State University, who authored the
study with SF State graduating senior Jia Wei Zhang.
"This is good news because although it may be difficult to change your
personality, you may be able to alter your view of time and boost your
happiness," Howell said. The authors suggest that savoring happy
memories or reframing painful past experiences in a positive light could
be effective ways for individuals to increase their life satisfaction.
Numerous studies over the last 30 years have suggested that
personality is a powerful predictor of a person's life satisfaction.
These latest findings help explain the reason behind this relationship.
"Personality traits influence how people look at the past, present
and future and it is these different perspectives on time which drive
a person's happiness," Howell said.
More than 750 participants completed surveys about their personality,
life satisfaction and "time perspective" -- a concept coined by Stanford
psychologist Philip Zimbardo to describe whether an individual is past,
present or future orientated. To assess time perspective,
participants were asked such questions as whether they enjoy reminiscing
about the "good old days" or whether they believe their future is
determined by themselves or by fate.
People's view of the past had the greatest effect on life satisfaction.
Extraverts, who are energetic and talkative, were much more likely to
remember the past positively and be happier as a result. People high
on the neurotic scale, which can mean being moody, emotionally
unstable and fretful, were more likely to have an anguished
remembrance of the past and to be less happy.
"Do time perspectives predict unique variance in life satisfaction
beyond personality traits?" was published online in the journal
Personality and Individual Differences and will be published in Volume
50, Issue 8 print issue (June 2011). Howell co-authored the paper with
Jia Wei Zhang, an undergraduate psychology student at SF State who
will graduate on May 21.
Journal Reference:
1.Jia Wei Zhang, Ryan T. Howell. Do time perspectives predict unique
variance in life satisfaction beyond personality traits? Personality and
Individual Differences, 2011; 50 (8): 1261 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2011.
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