Are We Evolved for Happiness?

Glenn Geher is Professor and Chair of Psychology as well as Founding Director of Evolutionary Studies at the State University of New York at New Paltz. Motivation is something that we all need but what exactly drives the motivation? Anxiety, for instance, is a common drive that we experience. It encourages us to get to work on time, go to school, or to meet deadlines. Now from an evolutionary standpoint this is why anxiety actually exists, to keep us safe from some things and motivates us to do others. Glenn Geher has taken this perspective of evolution and applied to happiness. Just as anxiety evolved to help motivate adaptive behaviors, happiness has also evolved to help motivate adaptive behaviors.