Study Says Money Can Buy Happiness

A study conducted at a Chinese university and published in the academic research paper, The Symbolic Power of Money, explores the power of money. The study specifically studied the effects of cash. The findings of the study are almost hard to believe but, the experiments were conducted scientifically and in the journal Psychological Science.

In one experiment students were told they would be participating in a test of finger dexterity. One group was given a stack of Chinese currency to count, while another was given blank pieces of paper. Both groups were given exercises that required them to handle the money. After they were told stick their fingers into bowls of water heated to 122 degrees. Those that handled money, rather than paper, were less bothered by the hot water.

In other experiments the subjects who got the real money were reported to show greater confidence after handling it. They actually even said that they felt stronger. The conclusion was that having physical money brought confidence.

The experiment also looked at our ideas about money and found that thoughts of having less money or losing money impacted our social interactions. In one part of the study subjects felt less socially accepted donated less money to charity than others. They may have had the same amount of money, but their feelings regarding social acceptance hindered their ability to give.

Losing money also negatively impacted the people in the experiment. When asked to think about losing money negatively impacted both their social and physical health. On the reverse, subjects who thought about having more money reported that they felt physically stronger and more socially accepted.

So maybe instead of eating your Wheaties in the morning you should just sit down and grope some cash for about 10 minutes to start your day right.