BBC: Is happiness genetic?

In this episode, we'll be discussing if happiness is genetic.

How happy would you say you are Neil?

I'm pretty happy I think. Why do you ask?

Well, in March this year the UN published its fifth world happiness report. 

Is that the one that ranks all of the countries based on how happy they are?

You've heard of it then. Over all there are 155 countries included, and Norway came top of them all, overtaking Denmark, which was the leader for the years 2012 to 2016.

Well, what about the UK?

Ah, well that's this week's questions, isn't it?

Where did the UK place?

a) in the top 10    b) between 11th and 20th     or      c) after 21st

Well, I'm going to say c) after 21st.

OK, you know the drill. No answer until the end of the show. 

So, Norway, eh? And Denmark the previous year? They're neighbours!

Yes, in fact, for the last 5 years, the results have been pretty much the same. Nordic countries tend to dominate the top of the table. 

Dominate meaning 'control'. OK, well, how are the results decided?

It's very simple. They ask 1000 people in each country a single subjective question. 

Subjective means 'based on personal experience, beliefs or feelings'...Well, what's the question?

Imagine a ladder, with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible likfe for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?

That's actually quite simple. 

Yep. The Nordic countries all score an average close to 7.5 out of 10.

So we have a number of neighbouring countries which all claim to be extremely happy. There must be a connection...is it the weather?

Well, that's a logical conclusion, but there is another idea. I'll let Professor Andrew Oswald from the University of Warwich explain. 

We think that there is a genetic component, in part, to why the Danes do so well coming so regularly at the head of happiness international league tables. It does appear from the data that the Danes have the smallest amount of the, you might say, dangerous, short kind of genetic pattern. So they may have a kind of inoculation against the possibility of depression. 

So, professor Oswald mentioned there is a genetic component, or part, to Danish DNA which gives them an inoculation, or illness protection, against depression and sadness. 

Yep. All of the Nordic countries have a similar make-up.

But he said 'in part'. That means it doesn't explain everything. So, there's something missing. 

There's no fooling you! Michael Booth has written a book about Nordic happiness. He has another theory. 

There are so many reasons why the Danes are happy, why they're content that have nothing to do with DNA. Of course, they're happy! They're rich! They're sexy! They're funny! They don't work that much!

Ah, so being rich, funny, sexy and not working much is why they are content, meaning 'satisfied'. That sounds a bit like you, Dan. 

I can't publicly comment on that Neil, I'm sorry! But there is one more piece we're missing. Hygge. It's a loanword and only just appeared in the British dictionaries. We don't have a direct translation, but it basically means cosiness. 

Cosiness, meaning 'warm, comfortable and safe'.