U-Shaped Curve Of Happiness

The term “U-shaped curve of happiness” describes how happiness levels vary throughout life, as shown by several large-scale studies that used samples from different countries. According to David Blanchflower (one of the leading researchers on subjective well-being), the correlation between happiness and age is represented in a U-shaped curve, meaning that happiness starts decreasing around age 18, hitting the lowest point between the ages of 40-50, followed by an increase after the midlife phase.

Although slight differences were detected between the curves of different countries, studies show that the u-shape of happiness seems consistent across individuals and cultures worldwide. Different factors impact happiness levels, including gender, wealth, health, job satisfaction, and marital status. Besides these factors, the subjective experience of happiness seems to be influenced by biological, cognitive, and emotional changes inherent to the aging process, which can help explain the consistency of the u-curve across countries.

However, the existence of a consistent u-shaped pattern remains somewhat controversial. Some scholars point out limitations to published studies, including the lack of consideration of important factors like the experience of traumatic events or the use of non-representative samples.