Researchers from the University of British Columbia reveal that people are happier when they work in a team and this team work helps them cope with crisis in a better manner.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia clarify that humans are not just social animals but 'pro-social' beings. In other words, they not only find happiness in doing things for others but are happiest when they do things for and with others. A new study conducted by the University's John Helliwell and colleagues found that people are happy when they work in a team and this team work also helps them better cope with crisis.
Helliwell and his team begin their research with an assessment of the social capital and happiness of the people living in 255 U.S. metropolitan areas during the recent economic crisis. They found that social capital increased people's happiness by decreasing the growing rate of unemployment. The researchers then went on to assess the national average happiness of people living in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries during the 2008 financial crisis. The findings led to researchers dividing the countries into two groups.
The first group included countries with increased happiness of residents because such countries were not directly affected by the crisis and polices of the countries were well chosen to enhance the well-being of their residents.
In the second group, the countries that experienced falling happiness of its residents were included. Such countries were worst hit by the crisis and factors like social capital were damaged during the crisis and its aftermath.
Authors of the study also found that social trust is an indicator of the quality of a country's social capital, which increases happiness of the people residing in that country. Researchers of the study concluded that the core goal of public policy should be to facilitate the development of institutions that bring out the best in humans.
