Do you think that moving to California will make you happier? It's a common belief that the sunny climate and cultural opportunities of the Golden State will bring about a radical change in your life. But is this really true? Recent research suggests that the answer is not as straightforward as you might think. Mediation analyses have revealed that satisfaction with climate and cultural opportunities can explain why Californians report higher overall life satisfaction. It's true that Californians love their climate and those in the Midwest detest theirs. However, despite this, the overall satisfaction with life in both regions turns out to be almost identical, according to a 1998 survey by Kahneman.
This suggests that the weather is not as important for happiness as we might think. The fact that it heavily influences people's predictions of relative happiness in California vs. The Midwest comes from something called the “illusion of focus”, a bias which Kahneman sums up with the concise statement: “Nothing in life is as important as you think it is when you think about it.” So, can moving make you happier? The answer is probably yes, if it involves general improvements to your living environment, social media, and work-life balance. But it's far from being a cure-all, and you're unlikely to notice a change in how you feel if your move offers nothing but a superficial change of scenery. There is a famous psychological study which looked at the differences in happiness between California residents and residents of the Midwest. Surprisingly, people who lived in California weren't happier than those enduring harsh winters in the Midwest.
So, while moving to California may be a great idea for many reasons, don't assume that doing so will magically bring about a radical change in your life. Humans are quite resilient creatures, and they will return to an affective set point, or general level of happiness, practically no matter what, as long as you give them enough time. The study also found a direct correlation between the time people spent traveling and greater amounts of unhappy days. This suggests that if you want to move to be happier, a great way to do that is to reduce the amount of time you spend commuting to and from work. Additionally, since studies have shown that sunlight positively influences mood, perhaps everyone should move to California - it could make the world a happier place!This difference between mood and satisfaction explains why moving to California doesn't necessarily make people happier.
The objective of the research was to test the belief of their Midwestern subjects that their California peers were undoubtedly happier because they lived in a more attractive climate and culture. Finally, research shows that you're more likely to be happier in a tight-knit community and having a social support group where you live can be very helpful. So if you're considering moving to California for happiness reasons, make sure that you'll have access to these kinds of resources.
