Strangers are Kinder Than We Think, New Study Reveals

Research shows that belief in the kindness of others is closely linked to overall happiness, with Finland again topping the happiness rankings for 2023, while the US and UK fall behind.

A new study published in the World Happiness Report suggests that individuals underestimate the kindness of strangers, finding that people are approximately twice as kind as we assume. This year’s report, released on Thursday, explores the concept of trust through a wallet experiment, where lost wallets were returned at a rate nearly double what participants predicted. The findings, which analyzed data from various countries, indicated that when individuals believe in the goodwill of others, it correlates significantly with their happiness levels.

Finland has once again been ranked as the happiest country globally, taking the lead for the eighth consecutive year with an average score of 7.736 out of 10. The report revealed a notable decline in happiness levels in the United States and the United Kingdom, which now hold the 23rd and 24th positions on the list respectively. John F. Helliwell, an economist at the University of British Columbia and co-editor of the report, noted that the data suggests people live happier lives when they believe that others genuinely care for them.

The 2023 World Happiness Report, coinciding with the United Nations' International Day of Happiness, is derived from a three-year averages of scores given by individuals rating their lives from 0 to 10. The top ten happiest countries are as follows: 1. Finland, 2. Denmark, 3. Iceland, 4. Sweden, 5. Netherlands, 6. Costa Rica, 7. Norway, 8. Israel, 9. Luxembourg, and 10. Mexico.

Additional findings from the study pointed out a decrease in both happiness and social trust in the US and parts of Europe, which may be contributing to rising political polarization. It was also noted that sharing meals with others is beneficial for wellbeing, and larger household sizes tend to correlate with higher happiness levels, especially in Mexico and European countries.

Jeffrey D. Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, emphasized that these findings reaffirm the importance of trust, kindness, and social connections in fostering happiness. He urged communities to convert this knowledge into action to promote peace and wellbeing. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre added that amid increasing social isolation and political divides, it is crucial to encourage communal interactions, stating that this is vital for both individual and collective happiness.