Researchers from three universities in the U.S. have conducted in-depth research to confirm that spending money on gadgets and outfits will not make you much happier – but going out and doing activities sure will!
“If you want to be happier, it might be wise to shift some of your consumption away from material goods a bit and more toward experiences—that would likely lead to greater well-being,” says lead author of the research and assistant professor of marketing at the University of Texas, Amit Kumar.
The new study – noted in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology by researchers at Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Texas at Austin – closely tracked the happiness of over 7,500 adults before, during, and after they’ve made their experiences and purchases. The results confirmed that travel, entertainment, activities and restaurant experiences, even surprisingly cheap ones, all boost happiness a whole lot more than any object or attire will.
