The formula for happiness: psychologists know who is the most satisfied with life.

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According to the results of a new study, women are more satisfied with their lives than men. This new happiness formula seems to have overlooked the male perspective.

A team of psychologists from York University in Canada conducted a large-scale study titled “How Satisfied Are You with Your Life?” The researchers aimed to determine whether money is truly the primary factor in life satisfaction. It turns out, it’s far from being the most important.

“While wealth undoubtedly plays a significant role, it is not the only or the most crucial factor,” the psychologists noted.

How the Study Was Conducted

During the study, the researchers sought to understand what enables people to feel satisfied with their lives. To find out, the team involved over 12,000 adult participants aged 25 to 64, including both employed individuals and those who were not working.

The volunteers were asked about their marital status, employment, education, interests, social class, income, and ultimately, their level of life satisfaction.

“We wanted to examine several factors that could influence life satisfaction, rather than focusing on just one, such as income, work, or marital status,” the researchers explained.

What the Researchers Discovered

One of the most surprising findings for the psychologists was the importance of physical appearance in feeling satisfied with life.

“While others may perceive a person as very attractive, what matters is how satisfied the individual is with their own appearance,” the scientists stated. “In today’s world, where influential public figures and social media play a huge role, this can be quite a challenging task,” they added.

They also found that time spent with family, socializing outside of work, and having close people “to rely on” significantly impact life satisfaction.

Although income played a notable role in this study, it was not the most important factor, as reported by the Daily Mail.

So, Who Is Most Satisfied with Life?

“While literary works often suggest that wealth or work are the most significant aspects for a person, in reality, family and social factors demonstrate the highest level of importance,” said Professor James Chohan, the study’s lead researcher.

His team confirmed that work holds less value for life satisfaction compared to family. It’s not that work is inherently good or bad for happiness; rather, in the context of the mentioned factors, family and social connections take precedence, the researchers found.

Another significant factor determining life satisfaction is the social class to which a person belongs. “The higher you perceive yourself in terms of social class, the higher your life satisfaction,” the team noted.

“If you move from a lower class to a higher one, it’s a huge leap for your sense of life satisfaction,” the researchers believe.

The psychologists also concluded that this feeling largely depends on one’s self-assessment of health. “If you rate your overall health as excellent, it positively influences your assessment of life satisfaction,” the researchers assert.

Marriage, particularly civil marriage, also contributes positively to life satisfaction, while single or divorced participants scored lower in this evaluation.

Moreover, it turns out that women are more often satisfied with their lives than men.

In the end, the team shared the ideal scenario for achieving the highest level of life satisfaction.

The Best Scenario for Life Satisfaction:

1. You are married.
2. You are a woman.
3. You are satisfied with your appearance.
4. You have reliable support from family and community.
5. You enjoy excellent health.
6. You consider yourself part of the upper class.