Not Money or Pleasure: Scientists Say They've Found The True Key to Happiness - ScienceAlert

Cat people have long been cast as lonely weirdos, devoted to an animal that would probably eat their face if they died on the kitchen floor. Now there’s research suggesting countries with more cats are also happier, so who’s the lonely weirdo now? A new study in PLOS One compared happiness scores across 93 countries with the number of cats living in each one. Countries with more cats generally reported higher happiness.

Want to feel happier? That “treat yourself” self-care strategy may not help as much as you think. Happiness may be more about connecting with other people. “What a lot of research is now showing is that when we orient ourselves outwards to other people, that leads to greater increases in happiness,” says Katherine Nelson-Coffey, an associate professor of psychology in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, part of the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University. She says social connection is one of the strongest predictors of happiness and well-being — in the moment and over time. Activities that bring people together strengthen relationships and decrease loneliness, which boosts well-being. Students: Add some happiness to your class scheduleLooking to thrive while meeting your General Studies Gold requirements in spring 2027? Sign up for PSY 213: ABCs of Happiness. Psychology students can also take PSY 335: Positive Psychology and PSY 336: Flourishing Across Contexts. ASU also offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in positive psychology — including online delivery options — as well as a graduate certificate.

If you're looking for a boost of household happiness, then you might want to consider getting yourself a cat. In a new study published in PLOS One, an international team of researchers analyzed publicly available data across 93 countries to examine the relationship between happiness scores, domestic cat density, and infection rates of Toxoplasma gondii – the parasite that affects as many as 1 in 3 people and which felines are the primary host of. The researchers wanted to see if having a cat made a difference to happiness, and whether the risk of parasite infection affected that in any way. While T. gondii is usually harmless and symptomless for most people, it can cause problems in more vulnerable groups, and has been linked to anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. Data from the shaded countries were used in the study. (Borráz-León et al., PLOS One, 2026)Wealth was also included as it's often one of the first factors people consider when it comes to leading a happy and comfortable life.