Richard Layard stated that ‘happiness comes from outside and within’ Essay

Happiness is described as a decreed feeling that ranges from rejoice to contentment. Everybody would worry to be happy. It is believed that people who argon happy are much successful, productive, have cave in relationships and better health. We would like to maintain these feelings when we have them. Richard Layard uses the term removed and deep down to describe where triumph comes from. extraneous cistrons include orders like relationships, social identities and culture. Within looks at influences such as biology, thoughts and feelings. So the away relates to social influences and within relates to individualal factors inside the individual. This essay aims to find usher of these multiple influences in order to explain Richard Layards rural areament. First it leave behind address within, next it will look at the outside, finishing with a conclusion.A key biological factor of felicitousness is linked to a healthy lifestyle and eating the right food. exercising and e ating right increases the bodys level of endorphins, which naturally gives us a boost. Certain foods stimulate the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin regulates mood, appetite and sleep, and is what produces the feelings of contentment and satisfaction within us. If we have low levels of serotonin we feel demoralise and anxious. Judith Wurtman (1996) (cited in arresting psychology 2011) found a connection mingled with low levels of serotonin and a diet low in carbohydrates. tribe on risque fat, high protein, low carbohydrate diets reported feelings of falloff anger and tension which were unusually high. Foods that stimulate serotonin contain a chemical called tryptophan. Foods like fish, nuts, beans, eggs, oats and chocolate all contain this mood boosting chemical. So what we put in our bodies roll in the hay affect our level of rapture. When Layard states happiness comes from within he is drawing on these biological factors.But are several(prenominal) (prenominal) of us born with a genetic predisposition to be happier than others? Richard Davidson et al. (2000) (cited in starting psychology 2011) used an EEG to measure where the hotshot is progressive when we are happy. It found that happy people show more(prenominal) exercise in the front of the brain on the leftoverhand-side than the right and wrong-doing versa when people are unhappy. Some people naturally use bingle side of their brain more than the other, using the left side more means you are likely to show higher levels of happiness regardless of your experiences. This theory was tested on babies and toddlers. Both left hand-sided babies and toddlers showed less scathe when separated from their mothers and were better at new roles than babies and toddlers who were right hand-sided. This shows some level of happiness is genetically inherited again a within factor of biological evidence to support Layards theory.Davidson teamed up with Jon Kabat-Zin to see if inter mediation had any effect on the right and left front brain natural action. They carried out an experiment on a group of high coerce workers. The group was divided into two and one group was taught how to meditate, the other was told they would start later. Eight weeks later the group who learned to meditate were significantly happier, coped better with stress and had greater immunity when given a flu inoculation than the group who had not yet started. It too showed that their level of brain activity had shifted to the left. So although the brain and how it works is fundamental in how happiness is produced you can effectively train your brain to work in a diametrical way by altering its plasticity. (Starting psychological science 2011)All these biological factors total to our level of happiness and is what Layard meant by within influences. These are not the lone(prenominal) influences on our happiness relationships and environment act upon a large graphic symbol too.Richard Layards (2005) research into happiness identified a list of cardinal factors that promote wellbeing. The list states family and close relationships are the number one factors for happiness as they are emotionally sustaining. This tells us that the outside influences of relationships that Layard refers to are essential. (Starting Psychology 2011). Relationships start in the womb and continue throughout life. Early relationships influence the emotional development of children and a securely attached child is confident, has high self-esteem and knows it is loved and valued, creating happiness. The findings from Mary Ainsworth (1978) (citedin Starting Psychology 2011) when she spy one year old babies in her experiment the Strange situation confirms this claim. Children played in a room and their reactions were recorded when the parent left and a stranger entered. Securely attached children were happy to explore and play whilst the parent was present, nevertheless became distressed wh en left. They were easily comforted when the parent returned, only when a stranger entered the child could not be comforted and resisted the stranger. insecurely attached children were less confident in exploring, were indifferent to the presence or absence of the parent and indecisive about whether they wanted comforting or not.A recent UNICEF report (2007) showed how significant relationships with family and friends are in producing happiness in children. This report was about childrens wellbeing in pirate flag developed countries, and the UK found itself at the bottom of the list, behind poorer countries. The reason for this rank seemed to be poor quality relationships with family, friends and peers. It emerged that being loved and supported by family and friends was the most important elements for a happy childhood. (Starting Psychology 2011).In maturity date people who manage good communication are happier than others. Robert Lane (2000) also argued we gain happiness from pe oples affection and acceptance of us and it is this feeling of being valued that influences our mood. When we are with people we exchange positive non-verbal communication. Our body language promotes friendly interaction which leads to laughter and happiness. Also several large studies have shown a link between expressing gratitude and high feelings of happiness according to Seligman (2005). When we thank someone we not only perplex the person feel good it increases our mood. All these examples show evidence of what Layard meant by Outside influences on our happiness. (Starting Psychology 2011).In conclusion many another(prenominal) contributing factors make us happy. These few examples are biological and social influences confirming Richard Layards opinion that happiness comes from outside and within It seems that a combination of influences are essential in contributing to our overall happiness, there aremany other factors that also play a part in our happiness, but it is clear from this evidence that a persons biological state and close personal relationships directly affect levels of happiness.