The Art and Science of Happiness
MIT's Experimental Study Group seminar surveys current theories of happiness and positive psychology alongside their practical use in everyday life. Sessions examine how different cultures define happiness and how the concept connects to optimism and meaning, drawing on research from positive psychology. The course also covers concrete strategies for building more opportunities for happiness and for handling sources of unhappiness more effectively. Materials come from MIT OpenCourseWare and include the seminar's readings and session structure, free to access under a Creative Commons license. It suits students or self-learners wanting a grounded, research-based look at wellbeing rather than a self-help pitch, taught within MIT's small-group Experimental Study Group format.