Dick Easterlin, Fellow 1970-71
The economics of happiness is now a burgeoning subject in economics. It all began at the Center when, over lunch one day, casual mention was made of happiness questions that had occasionally been asked in public opinion surveys. It struck me that it would be fun to see whether happiness varied directly with income, as economic theory confidently asserted. So I started gathering the data, and went to work. And thus was born, in the course of time, what came to be known as the Easterlin Paradox. Without the opportunity provided by the Center to engage over an extended period with social scientists from other disciplines, it would never have happened.
Among those whose help and encouragement I especially remember are Leonard Berkowitz, David Krantz, William Kruskal, Amos Tversky, and Stanton Wheeler. Most of all, I remember Eliot Aronson, a wonderful friend, who taught me, not only about social psychology, but life in general.
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