The 85-year Harvard study referred to as the Harvard Study of Adult Development is a landmark study in the field of psychology that has provided valuable insights into what makes people happy and healthy over the course of their lives. The study started in 1938 and has followed the lives of two groups of men for over eight decades – one group consisting of 268 Harvard sophomores and another group consisting of 456 disadvantaged, non-delinquent inner-city youths.
One of the key findings of the study is that the quality of our relationships with other people is the most important factor in determining our happiness and well-being. In fact, a review of the literature on the subject found that social relationships have a larger effect on mortality risk than smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010).
The study found that people who have strong and supportive relationships with family, friends, and community tend to be happier and healthier than those who do not. Moreover, people who are socially connected tend to live longer than those who are not. For example, a study published in the journal PLOS Medicine found that people who had strong social relationships had a 50% increased likelihood of survival over a seven-and-a-half-year period compared to those with weaker social ties (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2010).
The study’s findings are in line with other research that has shown the importance of social connections for our well-being. For example, a study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that social isolation and loneliness are associated with a higher risk of premature death (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, Baker, Harris, & Stephenson, 2015).
Overall, the Harvard Study of Adult Development provides compelling evidence that cultivating strong and supportive relationships with other people is essential for our happiness, well-being, and longevity. It underscores the importance of investing time and energy into building and maintaining meaningful relationships with family, friends, and community.
References:
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., & Layton, J. B. (2010). Social relationships and mortality risk: A meta-analytic review. PLOS Medicine, 7(7), e1000316. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. American Journal of Public Health, 105(5), e1-e10. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302427