Re: Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

January 12, 2006

I don't trust statistics and think it ridiculous to make such a blanket

claim just because SOME are less happy.

I also think they should at least have asked the same people how they felt

compared to the last time they were asked. And that still would only say

something about THEM, not necessarily about the rest of us.

Inger

Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago - at

least among those who will tell you their troubles.

So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts social

science research for government agencies, educational institutions,

non-profit organizations and private corporations.

The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life events and

found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

" The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

problems, not more.

Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the problems

were related to increased incidents of illness and the inability to

afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

romantic relationships.

On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

trouble with crime or the law.

The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study known as

the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It includes

in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen people 18

and older.

Those questioned about their negative life events were asked about

60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two additional

problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula, says,

the troubles could be compared.

Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to afford

health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said they

lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the romantic

front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady partner

doubled from 4% to 8%.

But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around them.

Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

" Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things happen

to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not usually

as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in our

brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to move

to the upper range of your potential. "

He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

because improving those areas will boost happiness.

FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship, support and

acceptance. Everyone is valued.

Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page in the

folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

January 12, 2006

In a message dated 1/12/2006 6:49:52 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, chris_bath_uni@... writes:

"There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics.

One of my favorite quotes. Another thing about statistics is that they can never prove anything. Statistics can only show a relationship between things, like say being struck by lightning and dying. Statistics show that you can die from a lightning strike but it cannot prove that lightning was the cause of death.

January 12, 2006

You say you don't trust statistics. Statistics aren't always there

to be trusted. They depend on a particular interpretation by an

analyst and hence reflect on this person's point of view.

I am studing Maths and Statistics at University at the moment and

the main thing to note about statistics is that you can make them

say almost whatever you like. It often depends on the analyst's own

interpretation of the statistics. For example given a set of

results, one statistician may draw certain conclusions and another

may draw conflicting results. In statistics, there is no right

answer.

A famous quote by Mark Twain and also Disraeli about statistics is

this:

" There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics.

>

> I don't trust statistics and think it ridiculous to make such a

blanket

> claim just because SOME are less happy.

>

> I also think they should at least have asked the same people how

they felt

> compared to the last time they were asked. And that still would

only say

> something about THEM, not necessarily about the rest of us.

>

> Inger

>

> Unhappiness has risen in the past

decade

>

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

>

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

> NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

>

> Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

>

> By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

> Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

>

> There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago - at

> least among those who will tell you their troubles.

>

> So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

> Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts social

> science research for government agencies, educational institutions,

> non-profit organizations and private corporations.

>

> The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life events

and

> found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

> were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

>

> " The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

> down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

> years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

> problems, not more.

>

> Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

> negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the problems

> were related to increased incidents of illness and the inability to

> afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

> romantic relationships.

>

> On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

> trouble with crime or the law.

>

> The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study known as

> the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

> National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It

includes

> in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen people 18

> and older.

>

> Those questioned about their negative life events were asked about

> 60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two additional

> problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula,

says,

> the troubles could be compared.

>

> Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

> than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to afford

> health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said

they

> lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the romantic

> front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady

partner

> doubled from 4% to 8%.

>

> But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around them.

> Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

> Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

> Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

>

> " Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

> Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

> structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things happen

> to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not usually

> as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

>

> Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in our

> brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

> move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

> events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to move

> to the upper range of your potential. "

>

> He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

> relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

> because improving those areas will boost happiness.

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

support and

> acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page

in the

> folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

>

January 13, 2006

Thanks for the inside information, Chris.

What particularly irks me as a nitpicking Aspie is how they phrase it when

they present certain findings, especially when it comes to epidemiological

studies that look for connections between this and that.

Instead of just stating as it is, e.g. that more people living in the poor

area of town have been found to have diabetes than those who live in the

rich part of town, they usually word it like " those who live in the poor

area run X times the risk of getting diabetes compared with those who live

in the rich area " . As if it is a contagious disease that you attract by

simply moving to the other side of town (which is what *I* would mean by the

word risk).

What statisticians mean by 'risk' seems to be that there is simply a

'statistically significant difference' (nevermind WHY).

I think journalists ought to be more attuned to what the GENERAL PUBLIC

means by the word, so they can rephrase findings into something that won't

have as high a RISK of being misinterpreted.

Plus - as someone here recently pointed out - a co-occurance does not always

= CAUSE.

Inger

Unhappiness has risen in the past

decade

>

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

>

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

> NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

>

> Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

>

> By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

> Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

>

> There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago - at

> least among those who will tell you their troubles.

>

> So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

> Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts social

> science research for government agencies, educational institutions,

> non-profit organizations and private corporations.

>

> The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life events

and

> found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

> were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

>

> " The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

> down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

> years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

> problems, not more.

>

> Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

> negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the problems

> were related to increased incidents of illness and the inability to

> afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

> romantic relationships.

>

> On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

> trouble with crime or the law.

>

> The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study known as

> the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

> National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It

includes

> in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen people 18

> and older.

>

> Those questioned about their negative life events were asked about

> 60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two additional

> problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula,

says,

> the troubles could be compared.

>

> Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

> than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to afford

> health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said

they

> lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the romantic

> front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady

partner

> doubled from 4% to 8%.

>

> But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around them.

> Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

> Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

> Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

>

> " Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

> Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

> structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things happen

> to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not usually

> as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

>

> Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in our

> brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

> move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

> events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to move

> to the upper range of your potential. "

>

> He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

> relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

> because improving those areas will boost happiness.

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

support and

> acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page

in the

> folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

>

January 13, 2006

None of this surprises me - and yet I am amazed at how some can be so

swayed by statistics to the point of (herd mentality) 'Ooo it must be

good - look at the statistics'.

'9 out of 10 cat's prefer...' how do I know the cats weren't just

really hungry and the other dish might have been extremely

unappetizing :-)

> >

> > I don't trust statistics and think it ridiculous to make such a

> blanket

> > claim just because SOME are less happy.

> >

> > I also think they should at least have asked the same people how

> they felt

> > compared to the last time they were asked. And that still would

> only say

> > something about THEM, not necessarily about the rest of us.

> >

> > Inger

> >

> > Unhappiness has risen in the past

> decade

> >

>

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

> >

>

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

> > NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

> >

> > Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

> >

> > By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

> > Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

> >

> > There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago - at

> > least among those who will tell you their troubles.

> >

> > So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

> > Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts social

> > science research for government agencies, educational

institutions,

> > non-profit organizations and private corporations.

> >

> > The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life events

> and

> > found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

> > were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

> >

> > " The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

> > down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

> > years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

> > problems, not more.

> >

> > Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

> > negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the

problems

> > were related to increased incidents of illness and the inability

to

> > afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

> > romantic relationships.

> >

> > On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

> > trouble with crime or the law.

> >

> > The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study known

as

> > the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

> > National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It

> includes

> > in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen people

18

> > and older.

> >

> > Those questioned about their negative life events were asked about

> > 60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two

additional

> > problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula,

> says,

> > the troubles could be compared.

> >

> > Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

> > than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to

afford

> > health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said

> they

> > lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the romantic

> > front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady

> partner

> > doubled from 4% to 8%.

> >

> > But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around them.

> > Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

>

> > Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

> > Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

> >

> > " Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

> > Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

> > structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things happen

> > to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not usually

> > as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

> >

> > Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in

our

> > brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

> > move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

> > events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to

move

> > to the upper range of your potential. "

> >

> > He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

> > relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

> > because improving those areas will boost happiness.

> >

> > FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

> support and

> > acceptance. Everyone is valued.

> >

> > Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links

page

> in the

> > folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

> >

January 13, 2006

I think statistics never give out enough information - I always want

to know why? Why is it that there is more risk?, etc.

What is the point of statistics just for statistics sake? and it does

seem to just be one persons opinion trying to affect others into

believing something just purely on the basis of statistics - I always

want more info' :-)

> >

> > I don't trust statistics and think it ridiculous to make such a

> blanket

> > claim just because SOME are less happy.

> >

> > I also think they should at least have asked the same people how

> they felt

> > compared to the last time they were asked. And that still would

> only say

> > something about THEM, not necessarily about the rest of us.

> >

> > Inger

> >

> > Unhappiness has risen in the past

> decade

> >

>

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

> >

>

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

> > NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

> >

> > Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

> >

> > By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

> > Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

> >

> > There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago - at

> > least among those who will tell you their troubles.

> >

> > So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

> > Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts social

> > science research for government agencies, educational

institutions,

> > non-profit organizations and private corporations.

> >

> > The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life events

> and

> > found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

> > were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

> >

> > " The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

> > down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

> > years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

> > problems, not more.

> >

> > Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

> > negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the

problems

> > were related to increased incidents of illness and the inability

to

> > afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

> > romantic relationships.

> >

> > On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

> > trouble with crime or the law.

> >

> > The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study known

as

> > the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

> > National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It

> includes

> > in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen people

18

> > and older.

> >

> > Those questioned about their negative life events were asked about

> > 60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two

additional

> > problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula,

> says,

> > the troubles could be compared.

> >

> > Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

> > than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to

afford

> > health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said

> they

> > lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the romantic

> > front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady

> partner

> > doubled from 4% to 8%.

> >

> > But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around them.

> > Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

>

> > Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

> > Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

> >

> > " Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

> > Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

> > structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things happen

> > to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not usually

> > as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

> >

> > Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in

our

> > brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

> > move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

> > events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to

move

> > to the upper range of your potential. "

> >

> > He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

> > relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

> > because improving those areas will boost happiness.

> >

> > FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

> support and

> > acceptance. Everyone is valued.

> >

> > Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page

> in the

> > folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

> >

January 13, 2006

Hi

And welcome to the forums.

I too took statistics classes and one of the first things we were

taught was that interpreted statistical results are more reflective

of the interpreter than the statistics themselves.

Whenever you hear on the radio that " a study shows " this or that,

the best thing to do is to get the study, look at the statistics,

and find out what ELSE it shows and whether or not what's been

stated conforms to what the radio says the study actually showed.

Tom

Administrator

You say you don't trust statistics. Statistics aren't always there

to be trusted. They depend on a particular interpretation by an

analyst and hence reflect on this person's point of view.

I am studing Maths and Statistics at University at the moment and

the main thing to note about statistics is that you can make them

say almost whatever you like. It often depends on the analyst's own

interpretation of the statistics. For example given a set of

results, one statistician may draw certain conclusions and another

may draw conflicting results. In statistics, there is no right

answer.

A famous quote by Mark Twain and also Disraeli about statistics is

this:

" There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics.

January 13, 2006

Welcome Chris.

Good topic!

Also ... I'd say look at the sample size, the composition of the population surveyed, the sample selection process, the conditions under which survey took place, the method of data analysis, and on and on (and on).

So many variables. So many results.

Amy

Hi And welcome to the forums.I too took statistics classes and one of the first things we were taught was that interpreted statistical results are more reflective of the interpreter than the statistics themselves. Whenever you hear on the radio that "a study shows" this or that, the best thing to do is to get the study, look at the statistics, and find out what ELSE it shows and whether or not what's been stated conforms to what the radio says the study actually showed. TomAdministratorYou say you don't trust statistics. Statistics aren't always thereto be trusted. They depend on a particular interpretation by ananalyst and hence reflect on this person's point of view.I am studing Maths and Statistics at University at the moment andthe main thing to note about statistics is that you can make themsay almost whatever you like. It often depends on the analyst's owninterpretation of the statistics. For example given a set ofresults, one statistician may draw certain conclusions and anothermay draw conflicting results. In statistics, there is no rightanswer.A famous quote by Mark Twain and also Disraeli about statistics isthis:"There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are statistics.

January 13, 2006

I don't put much stock in statistics. Coming out with blanket

conclusions such 'Vitamin E supplements have no benefits' or 'Milk

causes allergies' leaves out important bits such as the fact that

they used SYNTHETIC Vitamin E and PASTEURIZED HOMOGENIZED milk; or

doing a study in the winter on colds and flu but not doing a study in

the summer for comparison, doing a study on fear that included taking

blood from the test subjects as an aside and not allowing for the

fact that the fear shown involved the subjects' fear of the needle

which altered the test results, or using as test subjects people that

come in off the street or another cross section of people or

situation that is really not unbiased, starting with a bias and not

knowing it, such as 'Why do dogs howl at the moon?' to determine why

they howl, when the moon has nothing to do with it, having actual

physical results from placebos and not knowing it, and then, like you

mentioned, coming to a conclusion that is incorrect.

> >

> > I don't trust statistics and think it ridiculous to make such a

> blanket

> > claim just because SOME are less happy.

> >

> > I also think they should at least have asked the same people how

> they felt

> > compared to the last time they were asked. And that still would

> only say

> > something about THEM, not necessarily about the rest of us.

> >

> > Inger

> >

> > Unhappiness has risen in the past

> decade

> >

>

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

> >

>

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

> > NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

> >

> > Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

> >

> > By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

> > Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

> >

> > There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago - at

> > least among those who will tell you their troubles.

> >

> > So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

> > Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts social

> > science research for government agencies, educational

institutions,

> > non-profit organizations and private corporations.

> >

> > The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life events

> and

> > found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

> > were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

> >

> > " The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

> > down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

> > years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

> > problems, not more.

> >

> > Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

> > negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the

problems

> > were related to increased incidents of illness and the inability

to

> > afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

> > romantic relationships.

> >

> > On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

> > trouble with crime or the law.

> >

> > The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study known

as

> > the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

> > National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It

> includes

> > in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen people

18

> > and older.

> >

> > Those questioned about their negative life events were asked about

> > 60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two

additional

> > problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula,

> says,

> > the troubles could be compared.

> >

> > Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

> > than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to

afford

> > health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said

> they

> > lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the romantic

> > front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady

> partner

> > doubled from 4% to 8%.

> >

> > But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around them.

> > Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

>

> > Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

> > Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

> >

> > " Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

> > Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

> > structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things happen

> > to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not usually

> > as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

> >

> > Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in

our

> > brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

> > move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

> > events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to

move

> > to the upper range of your potential. "

> >

> > He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

> > relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

> > because improving those areas will boost happiness.

> >

> > FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

> support and

> > acceptance. Everyone is valued.

> >

> > Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links page

> in the

> > folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

> >

January 13, 2006

Remember the dog food ads from years past where the dogs wolfed the

food down? I heard they made the dogs go without food until they were

very hungry before they shot the commercial. You don't see it

anymore, I'm assuming because it's not allowed due to animal rights.

> > >

> > > I don't trust statistics and think it ridiculous to make such a

> > blanket

> > > claim just because SOME are less happy.

> > >

> > > I also think they should at least have asked the same people

how

> > they felt

> > > compared to the last time they were asked. And that still would

> > only say

> > > something about THEM, not necessarily about the rest of us.

> > >

> > > Inger

> > >

> > > Unhappiness has risen in the past

> > decade

> > >

> >

>

http://news./s/usatoday/20060109/ts_usatoday/unhappinesshasr

> > >

> >

>

iseninthepastdecade;_ylt=AoIQJ9kM_3KORyvdWK7EI3.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2

> > > NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

> > >

> > > Unhappiness has risen in the past decade

> > >

> > > By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

> > > Mon Jan 9, 7:23 AM ET

> > >

> > > There's more misery in people's lives today than a decade ago -

at

> > > least among those who will tell you their troubles.

> > >

> > > So says a new study on life's negatives from the University of

> > > Chicago's National Opinion Research Center, which conducts

social

> > > science research for government agencies, educational

> institutions,

> > > non-profit organizations and private corporations.

> > >

> > > The researchers surveyed 1,340 people about negative life

events

> > and

> > > found that the 2004 respondents had more troubles than those who

> > > were surveyed in 1991, the last time the study was done.

> > >

> > > " The anticipation would have been that problems would have been

> > > down, " says Tom , the study's author. He says good economic

> > > years during the '90s would have brought an expectation of fewer

> > > problems, not more.

> > >

> > > Overall, the percentage who reported at least one significant

> > > negative life event increased from 88% to 92%. Most of the

> problems

> > > were related to increased incidents of illness and the

inability

> to

> > > afford medical care; mounting bills; unemployment; and troubled

> > > romantic relationships.

> > >

> > > On a more positive note, fewer of those surveyed reported having

> > > trouble with crime or the law.

> > >

> > > The University of Chicago report is part of a larger study

known

> as

> > > the larger General Social Survey, which is supported by the

> > > National Science Foundation and financed through grants. It

> > includes

> > > in-person interviews with more than 2,800 randomly chosen

people

> 18

> > > and older.

> > >

> > > Those questioned about their negative life events were asked

about

> > > 60 specific problems, and they could each list up to two

> additional

> > > problems. By weighting each problem and using a formula,

> > says,

> > > the troubles could be compared.

> > >

> > > Some of the problems outlined in the study were more complicated

> > > than just a single bad event. For instance, the inability to

> afford

> > > health care rose from 7% in 1991 to 11% in 2004. Those who said

> > they

> > > lacked health insurance increased from 12% to 18%. On the

romantic

> > > front, the percentage who reported breaking up with a steady

> > partner

> > > doubled from 4% to 8%.

> > >

> > > But people shouldn't despair even if there is trouble around

them.

> > > Bad experiences don't necessarily make people unhappy, says

> >

> > > Haidt, an associate professor of psychology at the University of

> > > Virginia and author of the new book The Happiness Hypothesis.

> > >

> > > " Happiness has a very weak relation to the events in our lives, "

> > > Haidt says. " Your happiness level is determined mostly by the

> > > structure in your brain - not by whether good or bad things

happen

> > > to you. Negative events hurt or feel bad, but they are not

usually

> > > as bad as we think and don't last as long as we think. "

> > >

> > > Happiness is an individual thing, he says, like a thermostat in

> our

> > > brains with a baseline that's predetermined by genetics. " We all

> > > move around, up or down, around our set point " depending on life

> > > events, he says. " The key to the psychology of happiness is to

> move

> > > to the upper range of your potential. "

> > >

> > > He advises a three-point check-up on the state of personal

> > > relationships, the work environment and control over daily life,

> > > because improving those areas will boost happiness.

> > >

> > > FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

> > support and

> > > acceptance. Everyone is valued.

> > >

> > > Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links

> page

> > in the

> > > folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

> > >

January 13, 2006

Yeah, us. We Aspies seem to all easily realize these things about

statistics.

>

> You say you don't trust statistics. Statistics aren't always there

> to be trusted. They depend on a particular interpretation by an

> analyst and hence reflect on this person's point of view.

>

> I am studing Maths and Statistics at University at the moment and

> the main thing to note about statistics is that you can make them

> say almost whatever you like. It often depends on the analyst's

own

> interpretation of the statistics. For example given a set of

> results, one statistician may draw certain conclusions and another

> may draw conflicting results. In statistics, there is no right

> answer.

>

> A famous quote by Mark Twain and also Disraeli about statistics is

> this:

>

> " There are lies, there are damn lies and then there are

statistics.

>

> FAM Secret Society is a community based on respect, friendship,

support and acceptance. Everyone is valued.

>

> Don't forget, there are links to other FAM sites on the Links

page in the folder marked " Other FAM Sites. "

>

January 13, 2006

This is a pet peeve of mine....

" Figures Don't Lie, but Liars

Figure... "

Statistics and epidemiological studies are tools... ways

to look at aspects of the world that are not easily observed... Like any

tool they can be misused and for them to produce meaningful results they

must be used properly and the relationships that they may indicate does

not necessary infer a cause and effect relationship...

If the " experiment " that the number does not properly for all

possible factors the results that the data suggest can be

misleading... I've worked on several studies and in every one we

realized that we needed additional control group or that the number of

samples needed to be higher for the study to really show what the results

we got suggested... and that the way in which the data are collected can

taint the result in unexpected ways...

You can design a study that will show any result you want but that does

not mean the result supports the premise that the study is reported to

test... I got in trouble when I didn't provide statistics to

support for premise the person was basing his paper on from the data that

had been collected... The data that had been collected had no relation to

the premise and a population so small application of statistical

techniques meaningless... I told him that and offered to help him

design a study that could test his premise... I was accused of

being racist... I was able the prove my position to the University

faculty (This was 1975, I was on the staff of Tulane Medical School at

the time and a part-time Engineering Grad Student that did freelance

computer work for people that the " Education Department "

" Do something on the computer " in there papers...) but that was

the end of my freelancing...

Ender

At 10:17 AM 1/13/2006, you wrote:

I don't put much stock in

statistics. Coming out with blanket