Study finds happy people watch less TV than unhappy people

A study at the University of Maryland found that happy people spend more time reading and socializing while unhappy people watch more TV. Americans spend more than half their free time watching TV.

The study by sociologists at the University of Maryland was based on two sets of data spanning about 30 years (1975-2006), and gathered data from nearly 30,000 adults.

Happy people were more socially active, attended more religious services, voted more and read more newspapers. On the other hand, unhappy people watched an estimated 20% more TV than happy people.

The study found that watching TV satisfies people’s short-term need for happiness, but didn’t offer any long-term benefits that you would get from socializing or reading a newspaper. Sociologist Steven Martin likens the short, temporary pleasure of TV to addiction.

… Addictive activities produce momentary pleasure and long-term misery and regret. People most vulnerable to addiction tend to be socially or personally disadvantaged. For this kind of person, TV can become a kind of opiate in a way. It’s habitual, and tuning in can be an easy way of tuning out.”

– Steven Martin, sociologist at the University of Maryland

For more details visit the University of Maryland.