Sociology Professor Brian Jones, PhD, Explores 鈥淭he Pursuit of Happiness in America鈥� in New Book
柑橘直播, PA 鈥� From self-help books to movies and music, there is no shortage of opinions or depictions of what brings true happiness. Many view the key to happiness as elusive or complex, but what if there were straightforward, data-driven insights that could reveal what makes people happy? In his new book, The Pursuit of Happiness in America: A Sociological Perspective, Brian Jones, PhD, professor of Sociology at 柑橘直播 University, explores what it means to live a fulfilling life.
With access to General Social Survey (GSS) data spanning from 1972 to 2020, Dr. Jones uses mixed-methods research to paint a comprehensive picture of happiness in the United States. 鈥淭he key question is simple: what makes people happy and what doesn鈥檛?鈥� says Dr. Jones. 鈥淲ith the GSS data, we can see how life events and social factors affect happiness in real terms.鈥�
In The Pursuit of Happiness in America, Dr. Jones combines quantitative data with in-depth interviews with 50 Americans. Dr. Jones particularly examines how age, social class, marriage, friendships and job satisfaction contribute to the degree of individuals鈥� happiness. The findings show a significant correlation between marriage and happiness, where 40% of married individuals report being 鈥渧ery happy鈥� with their lives, compared to just 20% of unmarried individuals.
鈥淎s much as we hear about self-help and psychological tricks for boosting happiness, the data tells a different story,鈥� Dr. Jones explains. 鈥淐ompanionship, social connections and economic security are far more influential than quick fixes. The pandemic and the Great Recession are prime examples of how major societal disruptions deeply affect our collective happiness.鈥�
The Pursuit of Happiness in America is suitable for scholars, students and anyone interested in the sociological factors that shape well-being in the US.
Dr. Jones received his bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctorate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He is the author of numerous scholarly publications, including his first book, Social Capital in America: Counting Buried Treasure (2011). At 柑橘直播 University, Dr. Jones teaches Introduction to Sociology and Data Analysis 鈥� Social Scientist among other courses.
About 柑橘直播 University鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, 柑橘直播 University鈥檚 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has been the heart of the 柑橘直播 learning experience, offering foundational courses for undergraduate students in every college of the University. Serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students, the College is committed to fortifying them with intellectual rigor, multidisciplinary knowledge, moral courage and a global perspective. The College has more than 40 academic departments and programs across the humanities, social sciences, and natural and physical sciences.