Happy people watch less TV than unhappy people*:
“We looked at 8 to 10 activities that happy people engage in, and for each one, the people who did the activities more — visiting others, going to church, all those things — were more happy,” Dr. Robinson said. “TV was the one activity that showed a negative relationship. Unhappy people did it more, and happy people did it less.”
But the researchers could not tell whether unhappy people watch more television or whether being glued to the set is what makes people unhappy. “I don’t know that turning off the TV will make you more happy,” Dr. Robinson said.
Still, he said, the data show that people who spend the most time watching television are least happy in the long run.
He goes on to suggest that increasing unemployment figures may lead to increased TV time, so be careful.
*A reader points out that correlation is not causation. The article notes this too. We don’t know if TV makes you unhappy or if unhappy people watch more TV. Or both.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I heard this study and it makes complete sense to me. Still, I watch a lot of television (and highly recommend Big Bang Theory and How I Met your Mother. In fact, was giddy this a.m. when I found that Bravo runs the West Wing at 7:00 and 8:00 a.m.–what a way to spend a vacation). I think it depends, as I think most things do. A well-told story makes me happy. Good writing makes me happy. In many ways, good television makes me happy.
November 25th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Good writing makes everyone happy!
I go through phases with renting DVDs of a series, and then watching nothing.
December 1st, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I wonder where the study is on unhappy people and Web surfing ….