Podcast
Hidden Brain
The book was highlighted as a key source on the science of happier spending, emphasizing that experiences often bring more lasting joy than material purchases. Host Shankar Vedantam and social psychologist Elizabeth Dunn discussed its findings, noting both supportive evidence and a graduate student's critique of the experience‑focused recommendation. The overall tone was positive about the title’s insights.
Episode: Happiness 2.0: Surprising Sources of Joy
The book discusses the science of happier spending and suggests that buying experiences rather than material things might be a better way to spend money.
Liz told me that at one point in the interminable journey to the Arctic Ocean, she decided she'd had enough.
So I was like, okay, great. Sure. I just published this book and you think the first chapter is completely wrong. Like let's talk about that.
And so I started with my colleagues and students exploring when people get the biggest emotional boost from giving to charity and when that emotional boost seems to sort of disappear.
Elizabeth Dunn is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia. Along with Michael Norton, she's the author of Happy Money, the Science of Happier Spending.
Elizabeth Dunn is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia. Along with Michael Norton, she's the author of Happy Money, the Science of Happier Spending.
Episode: Happiness 2.0: Surprising Sources of Joy
Liz Dunn and her co-author, Michael Norton, explore the science of happier spending, and how spending money on experiences often produces more lasting joy than spending on material goods. This was emphasized with the anecdote about Liz's Arctic road trip, which she initially found miserable but later appreciated for the unique experiences and bonding that occurred.
Elizabeth Dunn is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia. Along with Michael Norton, she's the author of Happy Money, the science of happier spending.
Elizabeth Dunn is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia. Along with Michael Norton, she's the author of Happy Money, the Science of Happier Spending.
After I wrote my book Happy Money and the first chapter was called By Experiences, I gave it out to a bunch of the grad students in my department.
Episode: Happiness 2.0: Surprising Sources of Joy
The book Happy Money, co-authored by Liz Dunn, explores the science of happier spending, with a particular focus on experiences.
Elizabeth Dunn is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia. Along with Michael Norton, she's the author of Happy Money, the science of happier spending.
Elizabeth Dunn is a social psychologist at the University of British Columbia. Along with Michael Norton, she's the author of Happy Money, the Science of Happier Spending.
And so I gave it out to a bunch of the grad students in my department. And this very smart young grad student named Aaron Weidman came to see me.
And he's like, you know, I love the book. I think chapter one was wrong. He's like, I think this whole by experiences recommendation is, you know, bunk.
