S3 E9 - Deepening Relationships

Thank you to our sponsor, Audible. Get your free month of Audible Premium Plus at https://www.audibletrial.com/VxVNWj Use this link to get 10% off in our merch store: https://itmattersmerch.etsy.com?coupon=ITMATTERS10“It Matters How We Treat One Another” is the social science show - now in its third season! Here, host Matthew David Vasko discusses all the various ways that we can improve our relationships with others - partners, children, parents, extended family, friends, coworkers, and all the different types of people with whom we share our beautiful and diverse world. Features include Inspiring News and The Quote of the Week. Find our premium content on our Patreon, including The Takeaway. Season 3, Episode 9, Topic: Deepening RelationshipsIn this episode, Matthew does a deep dive into deepening relationships. He shares a variety of science-based strategies for increasing connection, decreasing loneliness, and performing acts of kindness, which are proven to increase happiness. Key Research LinksHere are the direct links to the studies mentioned in our Feature Segment:1. Harvard Study of Adult DevelopmentOfficial website: https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.orgDr. Robert Waldinger's TED Talk "What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness": https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_the_secret_to_a_happy_life_lessons_from_8_decades_of_researchHarvard Gazette article on the study: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2017/04/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life/2. Holt-Lunstad Meta-Analysis on Social Relationships and MortalityFull study (open access): https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316PubMed link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20668659/3. Shelly Gable's Research on Active-Constructive RespondingKey article: Gable, S. L., Reis, H. T., Impett, E. A., & Asher, E. R. (2004). "What do you do when things go right? The intrapersonal and interpersonal benefits of sharing positive events." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87(2), 228-245.Dr. Gable's faculty page: https://www.psych.ucsb.edu/people/faculty/gableEducational overview: https://positivepsychology.com/active-constructive-communication/4. Sonja Lyubomirsky's Research on Kindness and HappinessDr. Lyubomirsky's research page: https://sonjalyubomirsky.com/Her faculty profile with publications: https://lyubomirsky.socialpsychology.org/Key article: Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). "Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change." Review of General Psychology, 9, 111-131.Resources for Additional LearningIf you'd like to dive deeper into these topics, here are some excellent resources:Books:"The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study of Happiness" by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz"Social: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect" by Matthew Lieberman"The How of Happiness" by Sonja Lyubomirsky"Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending" by Elizabeth Dunn and Michael NortonKey Research:The Harvard Study of Adult Development website features Dr. Robert Waldinger's popular TED Talk "What Makes a Good Life"Holt-Lunstad and colleagues' meta-analysis on social relationships and mortality, published in PLOS Medicine in 2010Shelly Gable's research on active-constructive responding in the Journal of Personality and Social PsychologySonja Lyubomirsky's work on the architecture of sustainable happiness in the Review of General PsychologyOnline Resources:Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley offers free, science-based practices at greatergood.berkeley.eduThe Random Acts of Kindness Foundation provides inspiration and ideas at randomactsofkindness.orgShow links: Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ItMattersHowWeTreatOneAnother/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ItMattersHowWeTreatOneAnother/Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/ItMattersMerch Patreon: http://patreon.com/ItMattersPatronsPodcast website: https://it-matters.captivate.fm/Host Matthew David Vasko’s website: https://matthewvasko.com/Intro/Outro/Interstitial music by Z19: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvfnVgE2H20vJQN4Yl7gbtA“It Matters How We Treat One Another” is a production of Meta Key Productions, all rights reserved. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call 988 for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (in the United States). The information shared on this show is meant for general educational purposes only. Please consult with a licensed professional before making any life-altering decisions. Listener/viewer assumes all responsibility for any actions taken as a result of consuming this content. Any application of suggestions made on this show is taken at the listener/viewer's sole risk.