Dr. Lyubomirsky is a Professor of Psychology. Her work focuses on developing a science of happiness. To this end, her research addresses three critical questions: 1) What makes people happy? 2) Is happiness a good thing? and 3) How can we make people happier still? She teaches social psychology and positive psychology and serves as graduate advisor.
Dr. Lyubomirsky is associate editor of The Journal of Positive Psychology and (with Ken Sheldon) holds a 5-year million-dollar grant from NIMH to conduct research on the possibility of permanently increasing happiness. Her work has been written up in hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles, and she has appeared on multiple television shows, radio shows, and feature documentaries around the world. Her book The How of Happiness has been translated into 17 languages.
Dr. Lyubomirsky graduated summa cum laude from Harvard and completed her doctorate in social/personality psychology at Stanford in 1994.
Awards and Credentials
- Templeton Positive Psychology Prize
- Faculty of the Year
- Faculty Mentor of the Year Awards
- Fellow, Society for Personality and Social Psychology
Related Links
- Dr. Lyubomirsky’s Faculty Page
- The How of Happiness Homepage
- The How of Happiness Psychology Today Blog
Recommended Reading List
- The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life you Want. Lyubomirsky, S. (2008). Penguin.
- “The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success?” Lyubomirsky, S., et al. (2005). Psychological Bulletin, 131.
- “Why Are Some People Happier Than Others?: The Role of Cognitive and Motivational Processes in Well-Being.” Lyubomirsky, S. (2001). American Psychologist, 56.
