𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐬

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 recently released their yearly 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝐻𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑅𝑒𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡. It’s based on a global survey covering 147 countries, with each year’s results averaged over the last 3 years to smooth out impact of events.

The report assesses the impact of key factors on happiness using regression analysis, sometimes comparing it to experimental data. The main drivers of happiness remain quite consistent: 𝐆𝐃𝐏 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚, 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 — usually in that order, though it varies by country.

Each year, the research highlights a new topic. In 2025, it focused on 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 — what can be a big part of social support. It is also a nice shift from individualistic perception of happiness.

So here are some highlights from this year report:

🌟 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

For both givers and receivers. Volunteering, donating, or even small acts like helping a stranger are associated with higher life satisfaction. The biggest boost comes when the act is voluntary, motivated by helping others, and shows visible impact.

🤝 𝐖𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞

In wallet-drop experiments, wallets were returned far more often than people expected. In surveys, people consistently rated themselves as more likely to perform kind acts than others. It's important because expecting others to be kind is a stronger predictor of happiness than experiencing harm. And then we are robbing ourselves of happiness. 

🧩 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥

Dining with others, living with family (especially in households of 4–5 people), and having close social support all strongly correlate with happiness. This matters even more as loneliness rises, particularly among young adults.

One of the most interesting graphs is how life satisfaction evaluation increases with # of meals shared with others per week. 

🗳️ 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬

People with low interpersonal trust tend to lean toward right-wing populism, while high-trust individuals lean left. Regardless of ideology, dissatisfaction with life is a key driver of anti-system voting.

🧠 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬

Even in lower-income countries. And additional connection with kindness - countries with more volunteering, donating, and helping strangers have lower suicide/substance abuse deaths.

This is the report. One of the most interesting connections there is the link of sharing a meal with positive emotions and live satisfaction. So, how often do you eat with others?