Friendships and Happiness in Time of COVID-19
Location
FA-203
Department
Psychology
Abstract
Previous research has shown that adults with higher income, education, and better occupations are happier than adults with a lower socioeconomic status. On the contrary, other research has found that adults with lower socioeconomic status turn to relationships as a source of happiness and meaning. Our current study will examine the connection between relationships and happiness, specifically focusing on friendships. Studying this relationship is important because the pandemic limited opportunities for spending time with friends. This worldwide experience may have created a shift where individuals no longer place an emphasis on achieving a high socioeconomic status to attain happiness. People may be turning to relationships as a source of happiness instead. It is curious to examine how the pandemic may have had a role in influencing perspectives on happiness. Our study breaks ground because the majority of past literature on this topic is correlational. Our study will consist of an experiment where we assign participants to two conditions, recalling what actions were taken in order to avoid contracting COVID-19 during the quarantine period of the pandemic and what actions were taken to keep in touch with friends during the pandemic.
Faculty Sponsor
Maureen Erber , Northeastern Illinois University
Friendships and Happiness in Time of COVID-19
FA-203
Previous research has shown that adults with higher income, education, and better occupations are happier than adults with a lower socioeconomic status. On the contrary, other research has found that adults with lower socioeconomic status turn to relationships as a source of happiness and meaning. Our current study will examine the connection between relationships and happiness, specifically focusing on friendships. Studying this relationship is important because the pandemic limited opportunities for spending time with friends. This worldwide experience may have created a shift where individuals no longer place an emphasis on achieving a high socioeconomic status to attain happiness. People may be turning to relationships as a source of happiness instead. It is curious to examine how the pandemic may have had a role in influencing perspectives on happiness. Our study breaks ground because the majority of past literature on this topic is correlational. Our study will consist of an experiment where we assign participants to two conditions, recalling what actions were taken in order to avoid contracting COVID-19 during the quarantine period of the pandemic and what actions were taken to keep in touch with friends during the pandemic.