Each year you’ve probably read about which countries are the happiest in the worldbut, according to a new study, the tests previously used to measure said happiness are flawed and how happiness is measured has a lot to do with where you live.
Take the most simplistic measure of happiness – a smile. When looking at what type of smile are viewed more positively past research has shown a big difference between East and West. In Western cultures big, toothy smiles are perceived better whereas in the East more calm, closed mouth smiles are preferred.
And of the countless more complex ways to measure the fuzzy and often hard to pin down emotion called happiness, most have been developed in Western countries.
The problem with that is they’re individualistic in their leanings. But when you look to Eastern countries there’s a stronger emphasis on happiness in terms of connectedness with others.