In this fascinating and often hilarious work - winner of the Royal Society of Science Prize 2007 - pre-eminent psychologist Daniel Gilbert shows how - and why - the majority of us have no idea how to make ourselves happy.
We all want to be happy, but do we know how? When it comes to improving tomorrow at the expense of today, we're terrible at predicting how to please our future selves.
In 'Stumbling on Happiness' Professor Daniel Gilbert combines psychology, neuroscience, economics and philosophy with irrepressible wit to describe how the human brain imagines its future - and how well (or badly) it predicts what it will enjoy. Revealing some of the amazing secrets of human motivation, he also answers thought-provoking questions - why do dining companions order different meals instead of getting what they want? Why are shoppers happier when they can't get refunds? And why are couples less satisfied after having children while insisting that their kids are a source of joy?
| ISBN: | 9780007183135 |
| Publication date: | 26th February 2026 |
| Author: | Daniel Todd Gilbert |
| Publisher: | William Collins an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 277 pages |
| Genres: |
Popular psychology Cognitive and behavioural neuroscience Philosophy of mind Positive psychology Social, group or collective psychology Psychology: emotions Psychology: the self, ego, identity, personality Economic theory and philosophy Behavioural economics |
In this fascinating and often hilarious work - winner of the Royal Society of Science Prize 2007 - pre-eminent psychologist Daniel Gilbert shows how - and why - the majority of us have no idea how to make ourselves happy.
We all want to be happy, but do we know how? When it comes to improving tomorrow at the expense of today, we're terrible at predicting how to please our future selves.
In 'Stumbling on Happiness' Professor Daniel Gilbert combines psychology, neuroscience, economics and philosophy with irrepressible wit to describe how the human brain imagines its future - and how well (or badly) it predicts what it will enjoy. Revealing some of the amazing secrets of human motivation, he also answers thought-provoking questions - why do dining companions order different meals instead of getting what they want? Why are shoppers happier when they can't get refunds? And why are couples less satisfied after having children while insisting that their kids are a source of joy?
Stumbling on Happiness features in the following genres: Popular psychology, Cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, Philosophy of mind, Positive psychology, Social, group or collective psychology, Psychology: emotions, Psychology: the self, ego, identity, personality, Economic theory and philosophy, Behavioural economics
Stumbling on Happiness is available in Paperback
Stumbling on Happiness was written by Daniel Todd Gilbert and published by William Collins an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Stumbling on Happiness has 277 pages
£9.89