TV Time, Unlike Child Care, Ranks High in Mood Study

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/03/health/03mood.html

TV Time, Unlike Child Care, Ranks High in Mood Study

By BENEDICT CAREY

Published: December 3, 2004

A team of psychologists and economists is reporting today what many

Americans know but do not always admit, especially to social scientists:

that watching television by oneself is a very enjoyable way to pass the

time, and that taking care of children - bless their little hearts - is

often about as much fun as housework.

Those findings, published in the journal Science, run contrary to previous

research about what makes people happy and why.

The study also suggests that the fundamental realities of marriage and job

security have far less to do with daily moods than factors like deadlines on

the job and quality of sleep.

The study looked at 909 working women in Texas, though the researchers said

the results probably applied more broadly.

It found that in general the group woke up a little grumpy but soon entered

a state of mild pleasure that increased by degrees through the day,

punctuated by occasional bouts of anxiety, frustration and anger.

Predictably, the researchers found that commuting to work, housework and

facing a boss rated as the least pleasant activities, while sex, socializing

with friends and relaxing were most enjoyable.

Yet contrary to previous research on daily mood, the study found that the

women rated television watching high on the list, ahead of shopping and

talking on the phone, and ranked taking care of children low, below cooking

and not far above housework.

The study marks the debut of a novel questionnaire that probes the subtle,

moment-to-moment emotions that constitute an ordinary day. In the new

approach, called the Day Reconstruction Method, people keep a diary of

everything they did during the day, from reading the paper in the morning to

arguing with children or co-workers over lunch, from running to catch the 6

p.m. bus home to falling asleep with their socks on.

The next day, consulting the diary, they relive each activity and, using

seven-point scales, rate how they felt at the time relative to each of a

dozen feelings like annoyed, criticized, worried, warm, friendly or happy.

Customarily, researchers who study well-being have asked sweeping questions

about contentment or dissatisfaction. In contrast, the new survey method

prompts people to relive a normal day, rating how pleased or annoyed,

depressed or competent they felt in specific activities.

Reimagining the day's activities, rather than reporting what they could or

should be feeling about them, allows people to be more honest, some

psychologists said.

" This is a measure of people's mood in the moment, " though " that doesn't

mean it's the best thing they could be doing, " said the study's lead author,

Dr. Kahneman, a professor of psychology and public affairs at

Princeton University. For example, had the study asked respondents to rate

how thrilled they were at a given moment rather than simply how happy, it

would have come up with different answers, Dr. Kahneman said.

" But we are trying to get a better idea or sense of what people's daily

lives are actually like, " he added, " what it is they do with their time. "

One of the most consistent findings in studies of well-being is how little

difference money makes. As long as people are not battling poverty, they

tend to rate their happiness in the range of 6 or 7, or higher, on a

10-point scale.

After controlling for other factors, Dr. Kahneman and his colleagues found

that even differences in household income of more than $60,000 had little

effect on daily moods. Job security, too, had little influence.

By far the two factors that most upset daily moods were a poor night's sleep

and tight work deadlines. According to a scale the researchers developed,

women who slept poorly reported relatively little enjoyment even when

relaxing in front of the TV or shopping.

Dr. Suzman, associate director for behavioral and social research at

the National Institute on Aging, which helped finance the study, said that

if the new survey method proved sensitive to life changes in further

studies, it could also establish quality-of-life measures firmly in

mainstream medicine. Researchers would then have a more complete picture of

how new drugs or medical technologies might enrich or dull the small

pleasures of daily life.

" This instrument should give us a much improved measure of well-being, " Dr.

Suzman said. " At the broadest level, it could help us set up a national

well-being account, similar to the gross national product, that would give

us a better understanding of how changes in policy, or social trends, affect

quality of life. "

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/03/health/03mood.html

TV Time, Unlike Child Care, Ranks High in Mood Study

By BENEDICT CAREY

Published: December 3, 2004

A team of psychologists and economists is reporting today what many

Americans know but do not always admit, especially to social scientists:

that watching television by oneself is a very enjoyable way to pass the

time, and that taking care of children - bless their little hearts - is

often about as much fun as housework.

Those findings, published in the journal Science, run contrary to previous

research about what makes people happy and why.

The study also suggests that the fundamental realities of marriage and job

security have far less to do with daily moods than factors like deadlines on

the job and quality of sleep.

The study looked at 909 working women in Texas, though the researchers said

the results probably applied more broadly.

It found that in general the group woke up a little grumpy but soon entered

a state of mild pleasure that increased by degrees through the day,

punctuated by occasional bouts of anxiety, frustration and anger.

Predictably, the researchers found that commuting to work, housework and

facing a boss rated as the least pleasant activities, while sex, socializing

with friends and relaxing were most enjoyable.

Yet contrary to previous research on daily mood, the study found that the

women rated television watching high on the list, ahead of shopping and

talking on the phone, and ranked taking care of children low, below cooking

and not far above housework.

The study marks the debut of a novel questionnaire that probes the subtle,

moment-to-moment emotions that constitute an ordinary day. In the new

approach, called the Day Reconstruction Method, people keep a diary of

everything they did during the day, from reading the paper in the morning to

arguing with children or co-workers over lunch, from running to catch the 6

p.m. bus home to falling asleep with their socks on.

The next day, consulting the diary, they relive each activity and, using

seven-point scales, rate how they felt at the time relative to each of a

dozen feelings like annoyed, criticized, worried, warm, friendly or happy.

Customarily, researchers who study well-being have asked sweeping questions

about contentment or dissatisfaction. In contrast, the new survey method

prompts people to relive a normal day, rating how pleased or annoyed,

depressed or competent they felt in specific activities.

Reimagining the day's activities, rather than reporting what they could or

should be feeling about them, allows people to be more honest, some

psychologists said.

" This is a measure of people's mood in the moment, " though " that doesn't

mean it's the best thing they could be doing, " said the study's lead author,

Dr. Kahneman, a professor of psychology and public affairs at

Princeton University. For example, had the study asked respondents to rate

how thrilled they were at a given moment rather than simply how happy, it

would have come up with different answers, Dr. Kahneman said.

" But we are trying to get a better idea or sense of what people's daily

lives are actually like, " he added, " what it is they do with their time. "

One of the most consistent findings in studies of well-being is how little

difference money makes. As long as people are not battling poverty, they

tend to rate their happiness in the range of 6 or 7, or higher, on a

10-point scale.

After controlling for other factors, Dr. Kahneman and his colleagues found

that even differences in household income of more than $60,000 had little

effect on daily moods. Job security, too, had little influence.

By far the two factors that most upset daily moods were a poor night's sleep

and tight work deadlines. According to a scale the researchers developed,

women who slept poorly reported relatively little enjoyment even when

relaxing in front of the TV or shopping.

Dr. Suzman, associate director for behavioral and social research at

the National Institute on Aging, which helped finance the study, said that

if the new survey method proved sensitive to life changes in further

studies, it could also establish quality-of-life measures firmly in

mainstream medicine. Researchers would then have a more complete picture of

how new drugs or medical technologies might enrich or dull the small

pleasures of daily life.

" This instrument should give us a much improved measure of well-being, " Dr.

Suzman said. " At the broadest level, it could help us set up a national

well-being account, similar to the gross national product, that would give

us a better understanding of how changes in policy, or social trends, affect

quality of life. "

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/03/health/03mood.html

TV Time, Unlike Child Care, Ranks High in Mood Study

By BENEDICT CAREY

Published: December 3, 2004

A team of psychologists and economists is reporting today what many

Americans know but do not always admit, especially to social scientists:

that watching television by oneself is a very enjoyable way to pass the

time, and that taking care of children - bless their little hearts - is

often about as much fun as housework.

Those findings, published in the journal Science, run contrary to previous

research about what makes people happy and why.

The study also suggests that the fundamental realities of marriage and job

security have far less to do with daily moods than factors like deadlines on

the job and quality of sleep.

The study looked at 909 working women in Texas, though the researchers said

the results probably applied more broadly.

It found that in general the group woke up a little grumpy but soon entered

a state of mild pleasure that increased by degrees through the day,

punctuated by occasional bouts of anxiety, frustration and anger.

Predictably, the researchers found that commuting to work, housework and

facing a boss rated as the least pleasant activities, while sex, socializing

with friends and relaxing were most enjoyable.

Yet contrary to previous research on daily mood, the study found that the

women rated television watching high on the list, ahead of shopping and

talking on the phone, and ranked taking care of children low, below cooking

and not far above housework.

The study marks the debut of a novel questionnaire that probes the subtle,

moment-to-moment emotions that constitute an ordinary day. In the new

approach, called the Day Reconstruction Method, people keep a diary of

everything they did during the day, from reading the paper in the morning to

arguing with children or co-workers over lunch, from running to catch the 6

p.m. bus home to falling asleep with their socks on.

The next day, consulting the diary, they relive each activity and, using

seven-point scales, rate how they felt at the time relative to each of a

dozen feelings like annoyed, criticized, worried, warm, friendly or happy.

Customarily, researchers who study well-being have asked sweeping questions

about contentment or dissatisfaction. In contrast, the new survey method

prompts people to relive a normal day, rating how pleased or annoyed,

depressed or competent they felt in specific activities.

Reimagining the day's activities, rather than reporting what they could or

should be feeling about them, allows people to be more honest, some

psychologists said.

" This is a measure of people's mood in the moment, " though " that doesn't

mean it's the best thing they could be doing, " said the study's lead author,

Dr. Kahneman, a professor of psychology and public affairs at

Princeton University. For example, had the study asked respondents to rate

how thrilled they were at a given moment rather than simply how happy, it

would have come up with different answers, Dr. Kahneman said.

" But we are trying to get a better idea or sense of what people's daily

lives are actually like, " he added, " what it is they do with their time. "

One of the most consistent findings in studies of well-being is how little

difference money makes. As long as people are not battling poverty, they

tend to rate their happiness in the range of 6 or 7, or higher, on a

10-point scale.

After controlling for other factors, Dr. Kahneman and his colleagues found

that even differences in household income of more than $60,000 had little

effect on daily moods. Job security, too, had little influence.

By far the two factors that most upset daily moods were a poor night's sleep

and tight work deadlines. According to a scale the researchers developed,

women who slept poorly reported relatively little enjoyment even when

relaxing in front of the TV or shopping.

Dr. Suzman, associate director for behavioral and social research at

the National Institute on Aging, which helped finance the study, said that

if the new survey method proved sensitive to life changes in further

studies, it could also establish quality-of-life measures firmly in

mainstream medicine. Researchers would then have a more complete picture of

how new drugs or medical technologies might enrich or dull the small

pleasures of daily life.

" This instrument should give us a much improved measure of well-being, " Dr.

Suzman said. " At the broadest level, it could help us set up a national

well-being account, similar to the gross national product, that would give

us a better understanding of how changes in policy, or social trends, affect

quality of life. "

[Guest guest]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/03/health/03mood.html

TV Time, Unlike Child Care, Ranks High in Mood Study

By BENEDICT CAREY

Published: December 3, 2004

A team of psychologists and economists is reporting today what many

Americans know but do not always admit, especially to social scientists:

that watching television by oneself is a very enjoyable way to pass the

time, and that taking care of children - bless their little hearts - is

often about as much fun as housework.

Those findings, published in the journal Science, run contrary to previous

research about what makes people happy and why.

The study also suggests that the fundamental realities of marriage and job

security have far less to do with daily moods than factors like deadlines on

the job and quality of sleep.

The study looked at 909 working women in Texas, though the researchers said

the results probably applied more broadly.

It found that in general the group woke up a little grumpy but soon entered

a state of mild pleasure that increased by degrees through the day,

punctuated by occasional bouts of anxiety, frustration and anger.

Predictably, the researchers found that commuting to work, housework and

facing a boss rated as the least pleasant activities, while sex, socializing

with friends and relaxing were most enjoyable.

Yet contrary to previous research on daily mood, the study found that the

women rated television watching high on the list, ahead of shopping and

talking on the phone, and ranked taking care of children low, below cooking

and not far above housework.

The study marks the debut of a novel questionnaire that probes the subtle,

moment-to-moment emotions that constitute an ordinary day. In the new

approach, called the Day Reconstruction Method, people keep a diary of

everything they did during the day, from reading the paper in the morning to

arguing with children or co-workers over lunch, from running to catch the 6

p.m. bus home to falling asleep with their socks on.

The next day, consulting the diary, they relive each activity and, using

seven-point scales, rate how they felt at the time relative to each of a

dozen feelings like annoyed, criticized, worried, warm, friendly or happy.

Customarily, researchers who study well-being have asked sweeping questions

about contentment or dissatisfaction. In contrast, the new survey method

prompts people to relive a normal day, rating how pleased or annoyed,

depressed or competent they felt in specific activities.

Reimagining the day's activities, rather than reporting what they could or

should be feeling about them, allows people to be more honest, some

psychologists said.

" This is a measure of people's mood in the moment, " though " that doesn't

mean it's the best thing they could be doing, " said the study's lead author,

Dr. Kahneman, a professor of psychology and public affairs at

Princeton University. For example, had the study asked respondents to rate

how thrilled they were at a given moment rather than simply how happy, it

would have come up with different answers, Dr. Kahneman said.

" But we are trying to get a better idea or sense of what people's daily

lives are actually like, " he added, " what it is they do with their time. "

One of the most consistent findings in studies of well-being is how little

difference money makes. As long as people are not battling poverty, they

tend to rate their happiness in the range of 6 or 7, or higher, on a

10-point scale.

After controlling for other factors, Dr. Kahneman and his colleagues found

that even differences in household income of more than $60,000 had little

effect on daily moods. Job security, too, had little influence.

By far the two factors that most upset daily moods were a poor night's sleep

and tight work deadlines. According to a scale the researchers developed,

women who slept poorly reported relatively little enjoyment even when

relaxing in front of the TV or shopping.

Dr. Suzman, associate director for behavioral and social research at

the National Institute on Aging, which helped finance the study, said that

if the new survey method proved sensitive to life changes in further

studies, it could also establish quality-of-life measures firmly in

mainstream medicine. Researchers would then have a more complete picture of

how new drugs or medical technologies might enrich or dull the small

pleasures of daily life.

" This instrument should give us a much improved measure of well-being, " Dr.

Suzman said. " At the broadest level, it could help us set up a national

well-being account, similar to the gross national product, that would give

us a better understanding of how changes in policy, or social trends, affect

quality of life. "