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 // **"Happiness seems less a matter of getting what you want than of how you feel about what you have."** //** David G. Myers PhD, Professor of Psychology, Hope College, Holland Michigan ** toc**I****ntroduction**Our project is based on the theme of Quality of Life. We, as a group, chose to focus on the broad idea of happiness. What is happiness? What brings us happiness? Does the idea of happiness vary by who we are or where we're from? Or does happiness transcend cultural, political, and geographic boundaries?

**The Essential Question**
Does the definition of happiness vary amongst cultures?

Our project investigates the meaning of happiness in Chinese and Western cultures.
 * Overview**

**The Challenge**
To discover if the idea of happiness changes based on generational values, cultural influences, and/or economic standing.

**Guiding Questions**
Is the perception of happiness contingent on a person's age? Does the perception of happiness differ with economic standing? Is the perception of happiness determined by a person's cultural background? Are there cultural universals in the definition of what constitutes happiness?

**Guiding Activities**
Students should follow the Teaching Cycle we have laid out as part of the instructional and learning process involving Web 2.0 tools.

**Guiding Resources**
Interviews with individuals in and around Shanghai. This wikipedia page talks about the Gross National Happiness Great TED Talk on happiness and design Design and Happiness Study from Harvard Science Harvard Science

**Solution/Action**
As a group, we interviewed individuals from both Chinese and Western cultures. We began with the simple question "What makes you happy?". We conducted these interviews in a variety of neighborhoods and settings. Our group began in Xin Tian Di talking with both young and middle aged individuals of both Chinese and Western descent. Individual members of our groups then interviewed people in other areas of Shanghai, including JinQiao, the Links, He Qing Zhen, and the JingAn temple area.

Through these interviews our group came to some interesting conclusions.  **Take Action:**  Sometimes you need to remember what happiness feels like. Try some of these ideas for a reminder:
 * Similarities existed in the definition of what happiness means amongst generational groups, regardless of cultural background and economic standing.
 * Happiness is not determined by economic status.
 * Culture seems to have little impact on perceptions of happiness
 * Friends and family ties were important to everyone's perception of happiness
 *  Put on a happy face and walk confidently with long strides and arms swinging and eyes straight ahead. Spend time with happy people.
 * Daydream about a time and place that you felt completely happy.
 * Close the door and the windows, put on your favorite music and sing as loud as you can.