Paths to Happiness Study

For 4.5- to 9-year-olds who speak English

In the session, your child will hear two stories about characters who have different preferences, goals, and ideas about what makes them happy. After each story, your child will be asked to guess what the character might do in a new situation and share their thoughts about the character. At the end, your child will also be asked to pick between two items that are appealing in different ways.

Some people believe that happiness comes from doing things they like, while others think it comes from doing things that are important to them. Sometimes, what we like might conflict with what is important, leading to differing choices and different opinions on what brings happiness. In our previous studies, we found that even young children can consider an important goal when attributing happiness, not just chose what they like. In this study, we want to learn more about whether children understand that various ideas about happiness can lead to distinct decisions and how they think about these ideas at their age. Your child’s participation will help us understand children's views on emotions and self-control, which could have practical benefits for education.

15 minutes

Families will receive one entry for a draw to win a $25 Amazon.com gift card (used for US Amazon.com only) for every child who participates in the study and meets the eligibility criteria. Children must be visible in the consent video in order to be eligible to be entered into the draw. Children can only participate in this study once. The draw will be ran for every 20 participants, and winners will be notified within 2 weeks of participating.

Please note that during the study, your child will be invited to choose between two types of gifts for a lucky draw. To ensure we capture their actual preferences, we will tell them that if they win the lucky draw, you will use the Amazon gift card we provide to purchase something that aligns with their choice. We appreciate your thoughtful consideration in deciding whether to participate in the study!