What makes people happier, money or having happy friends? Researchers from Harvard University have found the answer to this question in a study.
The study found that people who have happy friends have a greater chance of being happy. And if the happy friends are closer to you, you will be happier. For example, a person's happiness rises by 20% if a happy friend lives within 1.5 kilometers. Having a happy neighbor makes the chance of being happy higher by 34%. The effects of friends' happiness last for up to a year.
The researchers found that happiness is reallycontagious. Sadness also spreads among friends, but not as much as happiness. The study shows that having an extra (额外的) five thousand dollars increases a person's chances of becoming happier by about 2%. But the effect of a friend's happiness could in fact be greater than that.
The study also shows that people are happier when having happy friends than having good colleagues (同事) .
