Social Psychology • Spring Semester 2014 • Special Assignment 1
IV. Individual Analysis
After the presentations, an elaborate discussion
ensued which explained the purpose of all the
exercises. The students were then asked to
analyse each of the nine (the number of groups
were nine) partially analysed data to come up
with a consolidated overall report. The stu-
dents were also asked to report whether or not
their definition of happiness evolved over the
course of this experiment.
III. Analysis
A salient point that I would like to put forth be-
fore I proceed with the analysis is, the parallel I
could draw between the data obtained by social
constructionist approach and the data obtained
by any conventional While at the surface, the
data seems to be discordant, when you move
past the surface cacophony, you start seeking
a beautiful similarity. Even subjective experi-
ences such as happiness, which I vehemently
believed to be a function of various factors like
the individual’s upbringing, socio-economic
status etc., have an underlying uniformity.
The following section describes the simi-
larities and differences that could be clearly
distinguished from the partially analysed data
obtained from the individual groups.
I. Similarities
Relationships
The Partially Analysed Data gives clear evi-
dence that spending quality time with friends
and kin is the most common source of hap-
piness for many. This can be easily seen as a
consequence of our social nature, we like to be
understood by our close ones. From playing a
sport with friends, to sitting and playing poker
with family, watching movies, playing video
games, eating food after a hectic day with you
parents, all are myriad ways in which one
spends quality time with friends and family.
Accomplishments
Evidence suggests that excelling in the endeav-
ours that one participates in makes them happy.
Again, the magnitude of the task shows a lot of
variability: from solving a simple mathematics
problem to cracking a tough examination like
IITJEE, from winning in a video game to win-
ning high stakes poker, the Partially Analysed
Data has it all. A salient point to notice is the
fact that while some people excel for their own
selfish reasons, many excel for their parents or
their near and dear ones for they believe that
their excellence makes their loved ones happy.
Again this was something which I found very
hard to digest because I vehemently believe
that you should pursue any interest only out
of your selfish interest for otherwise, your love
for that interest is a facade. While my inference
may not be true, there is enough evidence to
suggest that being accomplished in life makes
one likeable in social circles; and likeability is
desired by human beings because they want to
belong and not feel ostracised in life.
Satisfaction
Satisfaction as a source of happiness seems
logical, and the Partially Analysed Data clearly
shows that that people are happy if they are
satisfied in their professional or academic life.
What really amused me was the fact while
some people are satisfied with being average
and with a lacklustre life, there are some whose
thirst cannot be satiated even after excelling in
everything they take part in.
Stress free environment
Almost everyone agreed to the fact that they
were happy if they were placed in a stress free
environment where they were free to chose
what they wanted to do: be it slacking off and
sleeping or relaxing by watching a movie or
a TV series, or just free to pursue their hob-
bies in an environment devoid of the anxiety
of quizzes and examinations. This could be
because of the reason that we are better able to
enjoy the activities that we take part in if we
are not anxious and bogged down by the many
fears that we have in life. If there is no stress
we are able to concentrate more at the task at
hand and perform better at it, accomplishing
in it as well as being satisfied with the work
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