Ideas worth spreading

Why we make bad decisions

5,922,473 views | Dan Gilbert • TEDGlobal 2005

Dan Gilbert presents research and data from his exploration of happiness -- sharing some surprising tests and experiments that you can also try on yourself. Watch through to the end for a sparkling Q&A with some familiar TED faces.

Dan Gilbert presents research and data from his exploration of happiness -- sharing some surprising tests and experiments that you can also try on yourself. Watch through to the end for a sparkling Q&A with some familiar TED faces.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Psychologist; happiness expert

See speaker profile

Harvard psychologist Dan Gilbert says our beliefs about what will make us happy are often wrong -- a premise he supports with intriguing research, and explains in his accessible and unexpectedly funny book, Stumbling on Happiness.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.