An optimist stops helplessness. A pessimist spreads helplessness. So, what does science reveal about genetics and a person’s predisposition to see that glass half-full or half-empty? Certainly a substantial amount. But beyond genetics, what does science reveal about the part we can influence? The answer it turns out is a remarkable amount.
In the mid-1990s, Dr. David Lykken at the University of Minnesota completed ground-breaking research and published the results that explain the role of our genes in determining human perspective. The research was conducted on 4,000 sets of twins born in Minnesota between 1936 and 1955, and after compiling data on well-being among both identical and fraternal twins, the results showed that 50 percent of a person’s satisfaction with life comes from genetic programming (Wallis, 2005). The study examined genetic influence on such traits as having a sunny, easygoing personality and exhibiting the ability to cope well with stress and expressing feelings of hope and future-mindedness.
Dr. Lykken’s research went further to factor in circumstantial considerations as well, aspects that can be attributed to the slings and arrows of life such as income, marital status, religion and education. These additional factors contributed another 8 percent to a person’s overall sense of well-being. From these results, researchers and field practitioners began to refer confidently to “a set point” of sorts. Here’s what we know now: your genetic make-up and life circumstances affect about 60 percent of your overall outlook. Whether you’re essentially an optimist or a pessimist, your perception of well-being has a set point. The remarkable news for all of us and particularly for people interested in positive psychology is that those statistics leave a whopping 40 percent in our control. So what if you’ve been accused of being in the “glass half-empty” crowd? Science tells us that you have the power to turn that around and truly flourish.
You can claim control of 40 percent of your outlook—40 percent of your sense of well-being—and take action to bolster your optimism and, from that spark, create even more success. Optimism stops helplessness, and 40 percent is a big chunk of workable material to use to cultivate more daily joy and deeper and more lasting fulfillment.
Fed by this research from the University of Minnesota and many related studies, proponents of positive psychology can identify the interventions and life strategies that affect our “40 Percent” in measurable ways. Martin Seligman, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Edward Diener and many others are determined to discover the best practices that enhance the three components of well-being—getting more pleasure out of life, becoming more engaged, and finding ways of making life feel more meaningful. My aim is to continue to spread the good news, to help others “cultivate their 40 Percent,” and to join forces with others to rid the world of helplessness.
Join Us!
Doctor Mell
________________
Wallis, C et al (2005). “The new science of happiness: New research on mood and satisfaction.” TIME Magazine in collaboration with CNN News, 9 January. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1015902-1,00.html
