The Science of Happiness

PRX and Greater Good Science Center
  • 4.5 (1.9K)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. Follow us on Instagram @HappinessPod.

  1. How to Make Work More Satisfying

    3D AGO

    How to Make Work More Satisfying

    Finding ways to bend tasks toward your strengths and passions can make you happier, more productive and find more meaning in your life—no matter your job. Summary: On this episode of The Science of Happiness, we explore a research-backed practice in Job Crafting, where you take stock of the tasks that fill your day, how much time and energy they require, what really lights you up, and what changes you can make to better align your efforts at work with your genuine strengths and passions. We learn how Job Crafting doesn’t just benefit your own well-being and help to guard against burnout, it can also boost your whole team’s productivity and morale. How To Do This Practice: Take a “Before” Snapshot: Write down everything you regularly do in a typical week, from major responsibilities to small recurring tasks. Label Time and Energy: Next to each activity, mark whether it requires low, medium, or high time and energy so you can see where your resources are going. Notice How It Feels: Pay attention to what drains, stresses, or creates guilt—and what energizes or uplifts you. Reconnect with What Matters: Ask yourself what you most care about right now and what activities make you feel most alive. Sketch an “After” Version: Imagine how you’d ideally spend your time and where you might reduce, release, or expand commitments. Make One Small Change: Choose one realistic shift you can try this week to better align your days with what brings meaning and joy. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.  Today’s Guests: SUSAN GLASS is a retired English professor and visually impaired, Bay Area-based poet. She’s the author of the poetry book “The Wild Language of Deer.” Read Susan’s book here: https://tinyurl.com/2jn3jutt MARIA TIMS is a professor of Management and Organization at the University of Amsterdam School of Business and Economics.  Learn more about her work here: https://tinyurl.com/mtp7tpy3 Related The Science of Happiness episodes:   How To Show Up For Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/56ktb9xc How To Feel Better About Yourself: https://tinyurl.com/42fn62a2 How to Feel More Hopeful: https://tinyurl.com/4tfwhbpb Related Happiness Breaks: A Self-Compassion Meditation For Burnout: https://tinyurl.com/485y3b4y 5 Minutes of Gratitude: https://tinyurl.com/r6pkw2xx A Meditation to Connect With Your Roots: https://tinyurl.com/ycy9xazc Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/568punx8

    16 min
  2. Happiness Break: How to Feel More Connected to Others

    FEB 19

    Happiness Break: How to Feel More Connected to Others

    Research shows that reflecting on our shared humanity can increase self-compassion and life satisfaction while reducing feelings of isolation. In this practice, Dacher Keltner guides us to look beneath our differences and connect with the qualities that make us human together. This guided exercise draws on a meditation by Sean Fargo, a mindfulness teacher and former Buddhist monk. How To Do This Practice: Settle your body: Sit comfortably and take a few slow, steady breaths. Let your shoulders drop, soften your jaw, and allow your body to feel supported by the ground or chair beneath you. Notice what’s here: Briefly scan your body and emotions. Whatever you’re feeling—calm, tense, distracted, open—simply acknowledge it without trying to change it. Bring someone to mind: Think of someone you don’t know well, feel distant from, or have mild tension with. Picture them as if they were in front of you. Reflect on your similarities: Silently repeat phrases like: This person has a body and mind, just like me; this person has felt sadness, joy, and pain, just like me; this person wants to be safe, loved, and understood, just like me. Gently extend kind intentions toward them: May you be well. May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you live with ease. Return and reflect: Bring your attention back to your breath and body. Notice if anything has shifted—perhaps a softening, a little more space, or a sense of connection—and carry that awareness into your day. This episode was supported by a grant from The John Templeton Foundation on Spreading Love Through the Media. Related Happiness Break episodes: A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4x27ut3p A Meditation to Connect With Your Roots: https://tinyurl.com/ycy9xazc A Mindful Breath Meditation, With Dacher Keltner: https://tinyurl.com/mr9d22kr Related The Science of Happiness episodes:   Why Compassion Requires Vulnerability: https://tinyurl.com/yxw4uhpf How to Feel More Hopeful: https://tinyurl.com/4tfwhbpb How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6 Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/4ju7rmtd

    6 min
  3. The Science of Love (Episode 3)

    FEB 13

    The Science of Love (Episode 3)

    Guest host Geena Davis guides us through the research on love that stretches beyond romance and friendship, showing up in our bonds with objects, nature, grief, and the collective moments that connect us to something larger than ourselves. Summary: In this final episode of our 3-part series on The Science of Love, researchers reveal how love expands our sense of self and strengthens our bond to humanity. We also explore why objects can feel meaningful, how love of nature can motivate care for the planet, he ways grief reshapes our capacity for connection, and our love of humanity. Related The Science of Happiness episodes:   The Science of Love Series: https://bit.ly/TheScienceofLove The Science of Love, with Geena Davis (Episode 1): https://tinyurl.com/bfave5wd How 7 Days Can Transform Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2ezhr Related Happiness Breaks: Visualizing Your Best Self in Relationships: https://tinyurl.com/4797z2vf A Guided Meditation on Embodied Love: https://tinyurl.com/3dmpfam6 A Meditation on Love and Interconnectedness: https://tinyurl.com/ye6baxv3 Today’s Guests: AARON AHUVIA is the most widely published and cited academic expert on non-interpersonal love. Learn more about Aaron Ahuvia here: https://thethingswelove.com/about-aaron/ JESSICA EISE is a social and environmental scientist and is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health with Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Learn more about Jessica Eise here: https://jessicaeise.com/ ​​YURIA CELIDWEN is an indigenous scholar of contemplative studies, and author of the new book, Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Foundations For Collective Well-Being. Learn more about Yuria Celidwen here: https://www.yuriacelidwen.com/ MARY-FRANCES O'CONNOR is a psychologist and professor at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss, and Social Stress Lab. Learn more about Mary-Frances O’connor here: https://maryfrancesoconnor.org/ SHIRA GABRIEL is a Professor of Psychology at SUNY, University at Buffalo. Learn more about Shira Gabriel here: https://tinyurl.com/2vvav8xj Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Funding for this special was provided by the John Templeton Foundation, as part of the Greater Good Science Center's Spreading Love Through the Media initiative. Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/22d5nuyr

    25 min
  4. The Science of Love (Episode 2)

    FEB 12

    The Science of Love (Episode 2)

    Guest host Geena Davis helps us explore how the love we feel —for our partners, friends, family, even our four legged companions—shapes our brains, bodies, and lives. Summary: On this episode of The Science of Love with Geena Davis, we delve into the many forms of love, and experts share research on how small daily actions, physical touch, and emotional attentiveness strengthen relationships, while evolutionary and neuroscience studies reveal why these bonds matter. We also explore practical strategies for cultivating deeper connections and understanding the biological and psychological roots of love. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Related The Science of Happiness episodes:   The Science of Love Series: https://bit.ly/TheScienceofLove The Science of Love, with Geena Davis (Episode 1): https://tinyurl.com/bfave5wd How 7 Days Can Transform Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2ezhr Today’s Guests: DANIEL LEVITIN is a neuroscientist, musician, and bestselling author of the books, Music as Medicine: How We Can Harness Its Therapeutic Power and I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music As Medicine.  Follow Daniel Levitin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/daniellevitinofficial JOHN GOTTMAN is a psychologist and the co-founder of The Gottman Institute.  JULIE GOTTMAN is a clinical psychologist and co-founder of The Gottman Institute and President of The Gottman Institute and co-founder of Affective Software, Inc.  Learn more about John and Julie Gottman here: https://www.gottman.com/ JUSTIN GARCIA is an evolutionary biologist and international authority on the science of sex and relationships.  Learn more about Justin Garcia here: https://tinyurl.com/2c39cs6r ANNA MACHIN is a British evolutionary anthropologist at the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University, England and author of the book Why We Love: The Definitive Guide to Our Most Fundamental Need.  Learn more about Anna Machin here: https://annamachin.com/ MARISA G. FRANCO is a psychologist and professor at The University of Maryland and author of the book “Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep – Friends.” Learn more about Marisa G. Franco here: https://drmarisagfranco.com/ Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Funding for this special was provided by the John Templeton Foundation, as part of the Greater Good Science Center's Spreading Love Through the Media initiative. Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/4b52azja

    28 min
  5. The Science of Love (Episode 1)

    FEB 5

    The Science of Love (Episode 1)

    In a culture that often reduces love to romance, Geena Davis helps us explore the science of love across the lifespan—revealing how our bonds with parents, friends, partners, and communities shape our health, happiness, and survival. Summary: Love is commonly understood as a feeling, yet scientific research increasingly points to its role as a core biological drive. In this episode of The Science of Love, we explore how love is expressed through caregiving, friendship, romantic attachment, and shared experience, and how these connections leave measurable effects on the brain, body, and even the microbiome.  Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Related The Science of Happiness episodes:   The Science of Love Series: https://bit.ly/TheScienceofLove 36 Questions to Spark Love and Connection: https://tinyurl.com/ktcpz78u How 7 Days Can Transform Your Relationship: https://tinyurl.com/bdh2ezhr Today’s Guests: ANN DRUYAN is an author, activist, and documentary producer. Learn more about Ann Druyan’s work here: https://tinyurl.com/5n8crkev DANIEL LEVITIN is a neuroscientist, musician, and bestselling author. Follow Daniel Levitin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/daniellevitinofficial JESSICA EISE is a social and environmental scientist and is an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health with Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. Learn more about Jessica Eise here: https://jessicaeise.com/ ANNA MACHIN is an evolutionary anthropologist who studies the evolution of love. Learn more about Anna Machin here: https://annamachin.com/ FRANCESCO BEGHINI is a computational biologist at Yale University. Learn more about Francesco Beghini here: https://tinyurl.com/knm4du4m ILANA BRITO is a biomedical engineering professor at Cornell University. Learn more about Ilana Brito here: https://tinyurl.com/mtnhw3yd CONSTANCE BAINBRIDGE is a Communication PhD student at UCLA. Learn more about Constance Bainbridge here: http://constancebainbridge.com/ SANDRA LANGESLAG is a cognitive and biological psychologist who studies romantic love. Learn more about Sandra Langeslag here: https://tinyurl.com/523wc9wx Message us or leave a comment on Instagram @scienceofhappinesspod. E-mail us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Funding for this special was provided by the John Templeton Foundation, as part of the Greater Good Science Center's Spreading Love Through the Media initiative. Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/bfave5wd

    25 min
  6. How to Keep Your Humanity

    JAN 29

    How to Keep Your Humanity

    Discover what happens to our well-being when we respond to suffering with compassion, collective action, and why choosing to care can help us hold on to our shared humanity. Summary: In the face of widespread suffering, many of us struggle with how to respond without becoming overwhelmed or numb. Drawing on research and real-world experience, this episode of The Science of Happiness examines the psychological impact of bearing witness, acting in alignment with our values, and showing up for others—even when it’s hard. We look at how compassion, agency, and a sense of common humanity can both strengthen resilience and carry real emotional costs, and why people continue to act anyway. Take our 5-minute survey https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better! How To Do This Practice: Pause and name what’s happening: Take a moment to notice what you’re feeling as you witness suffering or injustice—anger, grief, numbness, confusion. Naming the emotion helps calm the stress response and keeps you from shutting down or looking away. Reconnect with common humanity: Remind yourself: there are no “good people” and “bad people”—there are people.  Clarify your values on paper: Write down one to three values that matter most to you right now (for example: compassion, integrity, dignity, justice). Studies show that writing values down lowers stress and makes it more likely you’ll act in alignment with them. Gently ask yourself: “What does a person like me—with these values—do in a situation like this?” Consider what access, safety, or influence you may have, and what constraints you face. Acting with integrity looks different for everyone, and this step helps you choose a response that is both values-aligned and realistic. Choose a safe, doable action: Action doesn’t have to be loud or risky. It might be writing, speaking up in a meeting, supporting someone directly, or adding your voice to a collective effort. Even small actions strengthen agency and social connection. Reflect and reconnect: After you act, check in with yourself. Notice any sense of alignment, relief, meaning, grief, or fear. Acting with integrity won’t erase pain, but it helps protect mental health and shapes who we become over time. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: DR. FEROZE SIDHWA is a trauma, and critical care surgeon in California. He has also worked as a physician in Haiti, Ukraine and Palestine.  Learn more about Dr. Feroze Sidhwa here: https://www.ferozesidhwa.org/ DR. AKIVA LEBOWITZ is a physician and critical care specialist. Learn more about Dr. Akiva Lebowitz here: https://akivaforbrookline.com/ DR. SUNITA SAH is a social scientist, author, and psychologist. Learn more about Dr. Sunita Sah here: https://www.sunitasah.com/ Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/48wz2vru

    22 min
  7. Happiness Break: Finding Calm in Uncertainty

    JAN 22

    Happiness Break: Finding Calm in Uncertainty

    Psychologist and stress expert Elissa Epel leads us in a gentle, science-backed practice to calm our nervous systems and meet uncertainty with greater ease and acceptance. We want to hear from you! Take our quick 5-minute survey to tell us what you love, what you want more of, and how we can make the show even more inspiring and useful. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a drawing to win a copy of The Science of Happiness Workbook: 10 Practices for a Meaningful Life. Click the survey link in the show notes wherever you’re listening, or go directly to: https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better! How To Do This Practice: Settle in: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes or soften your gaze, and begin breathing in through your nose with long, slow exhales through pursed lips. Scan your body: Gently move your attention from the top of your head down to your toes, noticing areas of tension with a kind, curious awareness. Breathe into tension: Wherever you feel tightness, breathe into that area and soften it with each exhale, allowing your nervous system to relax just a little more. Notice uncertainty: Turn your attention to your thoughts and feelings. Ask yourself what feels uncertain right now, and name any emotions that arise without trying to change them. Ask yourself: What is on my mind right now? Am I thinking about the past, the future, or am I right here in the present?” What do I feel most uncertain about right now? What expectations might I be holding? Am I striving to control something? What feelings do I have right now? Release control: Notice where you may be holding expectations or trying to control the future, and gently practice letting go, reminding yourself that uncertainty is part of life. Rest in the present: Lean back, relax your shoulders, and focus on the safety and ease of this moment, repeating a phrase like “Things are exactly as they are right now.” Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Happiness Break Guide: ELISSA EPEL, PH.D, is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, at University of California, San Francisco. Learn more about Elissa Epel here: https://www.elissaepel.com/ Related Happiness Break episodes: Loving Kindness Meditation: https://tinyurl.com/2kr4fjz5 Embodying Resilience: https://tinyurl.com/46383mhx A Meditation for When You Feel Uneasy: https://tinyurl.com/4utrkyh5 Follow us on Instagram: @ScienceOfHappinessPod We’d love to hear about your experience with this practice! Share your thoughts at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or use the hashtag #happinesspod. Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Help us share Happiness Break! Leave a 5-star review and share this link: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/2x4pe95j

    7 min
  8. How Qigong Can Calm Your Mind and Body

    JAN 15

    How Qigong Can Calm Your Mind and Body

    Studies show qigong can strengthen your body and mind, and reduce cortisol levels. We explore this Chinese meditative movement practice that dates back over 4,000 years. Summary: After a period of intense stress, loss, and physical disconnection, one guest turns to qigong—a gentle, meditative movement practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine—to reconnect with their body and calm their nervous system. This episode of The Science of Happiness explores the growing scientific evidence behind qigong, revealing how mindful movement can support both physical health and psychological well-being. We want to hear from you! Take our 5-minute survey to enter a drawing to win a copy of The Science of Happiness Workbook: 10 Practices for a Meaningful Life. Tell us what you love, what you want more of, and how we can make the show even more inspiring and useful. Click the survey link in the show notes wherever you’re listening, or go directly to: https://tinyurl.com/happyhappysurvey. Thank you for helping us make the podcast even better! One Way To Do This Practice: Stand and settle: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees soft, arms relaxed by your sides. Take a moment to feel the ground beneath your feet and let your body arrive. Ground through your feet: Gently rock or sway in small circles, slowly shifting your weight to notice different parts of your feet making contact with the floor. Let your balance find its own rhythm. Breathe slowly and naturally: Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth, allowing your breath to deepen without forcing it. Imagine your breath moving through your whole body, not just your chest. Begin gentle, flowing movements: Move your arms and torso in smooth, continuous motions—circling, swaying, or softly lifting and lowering your hands. Keep your movements relaxed and fluid rather than stiff or controlled. Soften your body and attention: Release unnecessary tension in your jaw, shoulders, and hands. Place your attention on how the movements feel from head to toe, letting your mind stay with sensation rather than thoughts. Close with stillness: After 10–15 minutes, return to standing quietly. Notice any changes in your energy, mood, or sense of grounding before stepping back into your day. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode. Today’s Guests: ACE BORAL is an Oakland-based chef. PETER WAYNE is an Associate Professor of Medicine, and serves as the Director for the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Learn more about Peter’s work: https://tinyurl.com/342xndna Related The Science of Happiness episodes:   Breathe Away Anxiety (Cyclic Sighing): https://tinyurl.com/3u7vsrr5 The Science of Synchronized Movement: https://tinyurl.com/n4bcrb5j Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod. Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aap Transcription: https://tinyurl.com/yyxnsfy9

    22 min
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4.5
out of 5
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About

Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. Follow us on Instagram @HappinessPod.

Information

  • Creator
    PRX and Greater Good Science Center
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    323
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Greater Good Science Center
  • Show Website
    The Science of Happiness

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