Happiness Lessons Revolutionize Economics Education

Researchers call for universities to integrate happiness research into economics curriculum

Jan. 29, 2026 at 11:23pm

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A group of researchers is urging universities to bring happiness studies into economics classrooms, arguing that students should focus not just on GDP and unemployment but also on what makes people feel satisfied with their lives. The researchers propose practical ways to integrate happiness research into economics courses, drawing on empirical studies that measure well-being through questions about life satisfaction and specific emotions.

Why it matters

This shift in economics education reflects a growing recognition that traditional economic indicators like GDP do not always capture how people actually feel about their lives. By incorporating happiness research, the researchers aim to make economics more engaging, relevant, and meaningful for students.

The details

The paper, "Teaching Happiness (economics) in Your Dismal-Science Courses," was published in the Journal of Economic Education. The authors include Ori Heffetz of Cornell University, Kristen B. Cooper of Gordon College, John Ifcher of Santa Clara University, Ekaterina Oparina of the London School of Economics, and Stephen Wu of Hamilton College. They propose that students be asked to reflect on their own feelings of joy, pride, sadness, and anxiety, in addition to evaluating their overall life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10.

  • The paper was published on January 24, 2026.

The players

Ori Heffetz

Professor of economics at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, part of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.

Kristen B. Cooper

Associate professor at Gordon College.

John Ifcher

Professor at Santa Clara University.

Ekaterina Oparina

Research economist at the London School of Economics.

Stephen Wu

Irma M. and Robert D. Morris Professor of Economics at Hamilton College.

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What they’re saying

“Economics has long focused on objective indicators like income, inflation, and GDP. But these don't always reflect how people actually feel.”

— Ori Heffetz, Professor of economics (miragenews.com)

“Students are naturally curious about what makes people happy, and these topics help them connect economics to their own lives.”

— Ori Heffetz, Professor of economics (miragenews.com)

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue studying how happiness research can be effectively integrated into economics curricula at universities.

The takeaway

This shift in economics education reflects a growing recognition that traditional economic indicators do not fully capture human well-being. By incorporating happiness research, the researchers aim to make economics more relevant and meaningful for students, helping them connect the discipline to their own lives and experiences.