Books, podcasts, social media, and wellness influencers all seem to have their own formula for finding happiness. Most people have heard, more than once, to practice gratitude, meditate, exercise more, eat better, start a morning routine, or spend time in nature. None of this advice is bad. In fact, it’s backed by numerous studies that show these practices can make a positive difference.
But these answers begin with the same assumption: that happiness is an individual pursuit.
A new international study suggests the communities we live in matter a whole lot, too. Researchers analyzed responses from 97,220 people across 66 countries and identified five broad factors associated with happier societies.
Creating a happy society involves more than personal happiness
The study, published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, examined more than 200 social and psychological variables before narrowing its focus to 56 that were associated with happiness. One of the study’s biggest takeaways was that a society’s well-being can’t be explained simply by adding up the happiness of the people who live there.
Lead author Ewa Palikot, a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Psychology at the Polish Academy of Sciences, told PsyPost:
“Meeting basic needs and having the freedom to work on personal goals are important, but so is the social environment in which we live. Societies are happier when they create conditions that benefit everyone, for example, by promoting equality, freedom of choice, trust, human rights, and institutions that work for the common good.”
5 drivers of happiness
The researchers grouped their findings into five drivers of happiness: individual emancipation, Enlightenment ideas and institutions, satisfying basic human needs, effective governing and security institutions, and community connectedness.
Individual emancipation means the community advocates for equal rights, gender equality, acceptance of minority groups, and freedom for individuals to make autonomous choices. Interestingly, the researchers found that these values don’t necessarily make a person happy. Instead, inclusive societies raise happiness across the population.
The second driver focused on Enlightenment ideas and institutions. A community that supports science, education, human rights, democracy, and critical thinking tended to score higher on both individual well-being and societal happiness.
The third driver, meeting basic human needs, probably sounds familiar. Having access to food, housing, healthcare, and financial security remained one of the strongest predictors of personal happiness. The researchers noted that improving one person’s circumstances doesn’t automatically create a happier society for everyone else.
The fourth driver involved effective governing and security institutions. When a community trusts the courts, police, and banks, people generally feel more secure in their daily lives. Again, the researchers found the benefit primarily operated at the individual level rather than across society as a whole.
The fifth finding could be the most surprising. People who felt closely connected to their own neighborhoods and local communities tended to be happier. However, countries that placed stronger overall emphasis on close in-group ties actually reported lower societal happiness.
Basically, having people you can count on is good for well-being. But when trust stops with family and immediate social circles and doesn’t extend to the wider community, trust in strangers declines, and the entire country may become less cohesive.
Why do people believe happiness is an individual pursuit?
If community plays an important role in our well-being, why does the pursuit of happiness so often focus on the individual?
Mary McLaughlin, a psychotherapist in Virginia, told Upworthy it’s often easier to focus on ourselves than on the community around us.
“We live in a culture that encourages and rewards independence, personal achievement and self-reliance,” said McLaughlin. “And let’s face it, it’s easier to do breathing exercises or write in a gratitude journal than it is to address food insecurity or affordable housing issues.”
Dr. Suzi White, an assistant professor of education at the University of Cincinnati who researches happiness and social connection, says that belief is reinforced by the culture we’re surrounded by every day.
“We live in a consumer society, where brands tell us that our happiness will improve when we buy their product. We receive messages daily that happiness is within our grasp,” White explained to Upworthy. “It then makes sense that we believe that through self-care, grit, extra effort (and maybe a purchase), we, too, can be happy.”
What do these findings look like in real life for the average person?
The good news is, building a happier community doesn’t require sweeping change.
Sara Lichstein, a psychotherapist in California, shared with Upworthy, “For the average person, getting to know the people around you such as neighbors, people at your local stores or coffee shops, and feeling connected to a community, can all be wonderful ways to feel more connected and increase happiness.”
She warns that when people focus on self-improvement, those efforts don’t necessarily diminish emotional distress and loneliness. “Research consistently demonstrates the importance of social support and its impacts on our overall health and well-being. Having social support helps manage stress, increase resilience, and contribute to an overall happier state,” Lichstein explained.
White encourages investing time in your community as a pathway to happiness. “Anyone can help create a society where people’s basic needs are met by volunteering at organizations that provide services, voting, and advocating for policies that prioritize everyone’s well-being,” she said. “Investing your time in community is not a distraction from your happiness. It is a pathway to happiness.”
The researchers are not arguing that individual happiness doesn’t matter. Basic needs, maintaining good health, and a sense of control over your own life remain essential to well-being. But the study suggests that creating conditions that benefit everyone may help explain why some societies are happier than others.
Maybe happiness isn’t something we have to pursue alone. As White beautifully put it, “Consider how large your circle of care is, then widen it.”
