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person1993–present

Sonja Lyubomirsky

Disciplines:
positive psychology/happiness research
positive psychology
psychology/hedonic adaptation
wellbeing/wellbeing science

Summary

American psychologist at UC Riverside — author of The How of Happiness — whose research on the determinants of happiness and the 40% solution (40% of happiness variance is within voluntary control) is foundational to positive psychology.

Core Contribution

Developed the happiness pie chart — the finding that roughly 50% of happiness is set by genetics, 10% by life circumstances, and 40% by intentional activities — making happiness actionable by identifying the specific behaviors within voluntary control that move the needle.

Notable Works & Achievements

The How of Happiness

The Myths of Happiness

Historical Influences

Martin Seligman Daniel Kahneman

Intellectual Lineage

Positive Psychology Hedonic Adaptation Research Wellbeing Science

Contemporaries & Peers

Martin Seligman Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Ed Diener

Minds Influenced

Positive psychology practitionersHappiness coachingMW happiness content

Intellectual Posterity

The How of Happiness 40% happiness solutionHedonic adaptation research

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Sonja Lyubomirsky

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