Psychologist

Laurie Santos

Professor of psychology at Yale. Created 'The Science of Well-Being,' Yale's most popular course ever (3.5M+ enrolled). Host of The Happiness Lab podcast. Research on what actually makes humans happy vs. what we predict will.

Known For

The Science of Well-Being courseThe Happiness Lab podcastAffective forecasting research

Canon

Beliefs Shape Perception and Define Possibility

Canon

Dopamine Reward Prediction Error

Curious

Environment Shapes Behavior More Than Willpower

Canon

The Hedonic Treadmill — Happiness Returns to Baseline

Canon

Idleness Is Essential for Creativity and Integration

Canon

The Illusion of Moral and Generational Decline

Novel

Meaning Comes from Responsibility, Not Happiness

Canon

Meditation Is Mental Training, Not Relaxation

Canon

Close Relationships Are the Strongest Predictor of Life Satisfaction

Canon

Revealing Is a Learnable Skill: Strategic Vulnerability as Relational Competence

Novel

Sports Fandom as Secular Religion

Curious

Episodes

#Why Being Alone Might Be Better Than You ThinkAug 3, 2026 #Are Kids Today Really Worse Off?Jun 15, 2026 #The Surprising Case for OversharingJun 8, 2026 #The Hidden Beliefs That Shape Your Happiness with Shawn AchorMay 18, 2026 #The Art of Doing NothingMay 11, 2026 #Think About Death. Science Says You'll Be Happier.Jul 12, 2025 #Dr. Laurie Santos on Group Psychology, the Teen Brain, and HappinessFeb 4, 2025 #224How to Achieve True Happiness Using Science-Based ProtocolsDec 23, 2024 #You 2.0: Fighting DespairSep 16, 2024 #You 2.0: Remember More, Forget LessSep 9, 2024