Thinking Critically about Happiness Questionnaires

I want you to think critically about the two surveys you did this week, the 'Happy-Face' questionnaire (page 223 of your student book) and the on-line one (www.authentichappiness.com).

1. Do you think these data collection tools are valid scientific tools? Why or why not?

In research this is what is called validity. In other words, researchers use these tools to gather data with which to make conclusions about a bigger population, in this case whether one population is happier than another. (eg. are Chinese happier than Canadians?)

2. Do you think your results on the on-line survey would be different if you did it at another time or day? Why or why not? (in research this is called reliability)

3. Which of the two tools is better to do with a large group of people (eg. university students, people living in cities versus rural locations, etc.) to discover patterns of happiness in a given population? Why do you think one is better than the other?

Have fun!

Remember to post your reply to these questions on your blog and visit a few of your classmates blogs, read their ideas and respond to a few.

Happiness

Take 20 minutes to write freely about the subject of happiness in your blog. Here are some suggestions:

• How do you define happiness?
• What makes you happy?
• What advice would you give others to be happy?
• Has your happiness level changed from what it used to be? Explain.
• What are the secrets of happiness?

Check the blogs of your classmates to read what they wrote. Write a comment for 3 or 4 different people. Let them know what you think of their ideas.