A computational and neural model of momentary subjective well-being

TLDR

Happiness ratings on a 0‑10 scale are linked to life circumstances such as wealth, and ongoing happiness has been associated with life events, yet the neural mechanisms underlying these relationships remain unknown. The study aimed to examine these mechanisms by having participants perform a monetary decision‑making task while repeatedly reporting their momentary happiness. A computational model was developed in which happiness reports are interpreted as emotional reactivity to recent rewards and expectations. Functional MRI data showed that neural signals during task events predict changes in reported happiness.

Abstract

Significance A common question in the social science of well-being asks, “How happy do you feel on a scale of 0 to 10?” Responses are often related to life circumstances, including wealth. By asking people about their feelings as they go about their lives, ongoing happiness and life events have been linked, but the neural mechanisms underlying this relationship are unknown. To investigate it, we presented subjects with a decision-making task involving monetary gains and losses and repeatedly asked them to report their momentary happiness. We built a computational model in which happiness reports were construed as an emotional reactivity to recent rewards and expectations. Using functional MRI, we demonstrated that neural signals during task events account for changes in happiness.