Mappiness Puts Happiness On The Map
Image via Tech Crunch
READ MORE ABOUT:
It's commonly thought that if we're happy, we make those around us happier too; conversely, if those around us are happy, we feel happier along with them. So what if you could stake out where the happiest places are located and go there -- or let people know where we're happiest so they can join in? UK researchers are hoping to uncover environmental factors in what makes people happy, and are using one of the most handy tools available -- iPhones.
The "Mappiness" app pings users at various times throughout the day with a quick survey to detail their happiness levels and where they're located. The information is kept anonymous and secure. Lead researcher George MacKerron of the London School of Economics figures this will better illustrate how natural beauty and environmental problems impact the happiness level of people. The researchers will look at how factors like noise, air pollution, green spaces and other issues impact a person's feeling of joy, relaxation, and well-being. And for those who want to be around happy people, well, a quick glance at the map generated from results will tell you where to head.
The study is a continuation of research that began in the 1800s when economists worked out a "hedonometer" for gauging happiness, according to Techcrunch. MacKerron is adding location into the sampling data, and the iPhone, thanks to its built-in location technology, microphone for recording noise level, and camera for snapping and uploading a picture of one's current environment, makes it easy to pull the information together quickly.
So far, over 500 people are participating, though the project hops to get at least 3,000 people actively using the app. And while the free app is for UK citizens, non-UK iPhone owners can still chart personal happiness fluctuations while we wait for the research to come state-side.
More on Apps That Make Life Better
More Than 100 iPhone Apps For Green Shopping, Eating, Travel and Fun
WasteNot iPhone App Lets You Grow a Garden of Good Ideas...and Learn to Write Your Own Green Apps!
Crazy iPhone App Maps Every Single Tree in New York City
