Researchers Add New Variables to the Happiness Equation

You, too, could be this happy. (Credit: Subbotina Anna/Shutterstock) In 2014, Discoverreported on an equation that purported to lay out key variables that determine how happy we are. It said, in a nutshell, lower your expectations if you want to be happier. But the pursuit of happiness is far more complicated than simply expecting nothing, so it's no surprise that the "happiness equation" has since grown. Now, on top of lowering your expectations, you might want to avoid scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed comparing yourself to other smiling faces. It turns out other people's happiness is now part of that equation.