BMJ has this wonderful story based on 4739 individuals followed from 1983 to 2003 in the Framingham Heart Study. Happiness measured with validated four item scale; broad array of attributes of social networks and diverse social ties. People who are surrounded by many happy people and those who are central in the network are more likely to become happy in the future. Longitudinal statistical models suggest that clusters of happiness result from the spread of happiness and not just a tendency for people to associate with similar individuals.
James H Fowler and Nicholas A Christakis concludes that people’s happiness depends on the happiness of others with whom they are connected. This provides further justification for seeing happiness, like health, as a collective phenomenon.
Source:
Dynamic spread of happiness in a large social network: longitudinal analysis over 20 years in the Framingham Heart Study
See also:
Commentary: Understanding social network analysis
Editorial: Happiness, social networks, and health