Lorenza Carrillo Calderón & Luis Eduardo Jiménez Jordan

Report: How the weather plays a role on people's happiness and society’s behavior?

Economy of Happiness

Francis Munier

October 7th- November 9th, 2022

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………….2
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………3
Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………………3
Methodology………………………………………………………………………….3
Introduction………………………………………………………………………….4
Does the weather affect our mood?…………………………………………………4
Seasonal Affective Disorder………………………………………………………….5
Warm and Sunny Weather…………………………………………………………..6
Cold Weather…………………………………………………………………………6
Cold weather and productivity………………………………………………………7
How can some of the coldest/happiest countries in the world beat SAD…………8
“Happiest countries” and weather relationship…………………………………...9
Average Life Evaluation Ranking…………………………………………………10
Survey: Results and Conclusion………………………………………………….11
Conclusion ………….………………………………………….……………………. 12
Annexes ………………………………………….…………………………………… 14-19
References ………………………………………….………………………….. 20
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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank professor Francis Munier for giving us this class titled
“Economy of Happiness” and teaching us about happiness and economy. We appreciate the
information provided from the professor, especially the fact that he shared with us the journal
of happiness research, because it helped us with multiple useful articles for our investigation.

We are certain that the lessons learned throughout this class will help us throughout
our professional careers. We would also like to thank our families for giving us the
opportunity to study abroad and be able to learn from a different perspective in a different
country.

Last but not least, we want to thank the people that answered the survey and helped us
with our research.
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Abstract:
We are all aware that the weather influences our mood. In fact, most of us are affected
in some way by the arrival of hot or rainy days, sunny days or gray days. When we wake up
in the morning and see that it is a sunny day, we start the day in a better mood. Likewise,
when we wake up and see that it is a rainy day, we start the day complaining and in a bad
mood because we want sunshine. But are these common suppositions true? Are people who
live in regions where the weather is predominantly warm happier than the ones that
constantly experience colder weather? We chose this topic because we come from a
warm-sunny weather country: Mexico. We were curious to know if climate affect the way
people behave.

In the next report, we will analyze a topic of great interest to us: does the weather
influence our behavior and social relationships? We will make an in-depth investigation
based on other research and studies related to climate and people's behavior. We will also
plan a survey to ask the students of Ecole de Management de Strasbourg Business School in
order to see their points of view regarding if the climate affects people's behavior and
emotions and shapes the way they act or not.

Hypothesis:

Weather does affect the way we behave, our moods, our health, and our happiness
individually and as a society.

Methodology:

For this report, we will research information and data from previous studies regarding
the correlation between happiness and climate. We will do our investigation, promoting a
survey in which we will ask international students, ages between 18-24, currently studying
bachelor's degree or master's in Strasbourg, France; their opinions and feelings about weather
and mood. They will answer questions regarding the weather, mood, behavior ans society’s
daily life. Analyzing the data provided we would show the results of this research.
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Introduction
Humans have always been aware that weather and climate affect the health and
well-being of populations. We will discuss the topic of weather by understanding it as “: the
state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm,
clearness or cloudiness.” (Merriam Webster, 2022) As Wallace and Vogel (1994) point out,
the sequential development of the seasons imposes the rhythm of life on earth. In order to
make its way in the world, the human race has learned to adapt to seasonal, interannual, etc.,
changes in order to program its agricultural, fishing, construction, etc., activities.

First of all, we have to understand what is the physical environment. It is the

environment surrounding the organism that affects its growth and development of the
organism. The physical environment can include the weather of a place. Weather can include
rain, wind, temperature, and humidity. All of these weather patterns affect human behavior.
People have devised ways to adapt to the negative effects of weather. The physical
environment can influence human behavior as it can be natural or built. The weather of a
place is the natural physical environment of a person. The environment has conditions that
can include temperature, light, humidity, and rain. It is important to distinguish between
climate and weather. The climate of the region is the "average" weather overtime periods. We
cannot choose a very long period because the climate changes times, so the default measure is
an average of 30 years. The weather is what is happening now. An example of a long dry
spell is climate, and the aspect of snowfall today is the weather.
Weather and climate include several variables, including temperature, humidity, wind
direction, wind speed, type of precipitation, and atmospheric pressure, but these variables are
not independent—for example, northerly winds in the northern hemisphere generally
correspond to lower temperatures and southerly winds are associated with higher and lower
pressure with more precipitation. Climate is defined by the pattern of values ​for these
variables: the desert is dry, the rainforest is hot and humid, and temperate climates often do
not reach extreme values ​for any of the variables.

Does the weather affect our mood?

Many studies have been conducted to investigate the nature and degree of the
weather's impact on a wide range of human behavior, including diseases, the frequency of
police calls, workplace accidents, birth and mortality rates, and psychological states such as
suicidality or malaise. The weather has long been believed to influence not only people's
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conscious emotional responses, but also their digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory
functions. Despite the fact that the actual causal relationships have never been established,
various studies have found rather consistent correlations between specific climatic factors and
human functioning and/or behavior. So climate affects our mood? Our state of mind is
influenced by many variables with which we are in contact, such as the people around us, our
obligations, and our personal and work situations, and the weather is one of those variables
with which we are in constant contact. It is evident that it does not affect us all equally, there
are people who are more vulnerable and it affects them more, just as there are people who are
barely influenced.
By nature, the human being is prepared to seek climatic comfort, and when changes
occur, especially if they are sudden, they cause a destabilization of the organism. This
imbalance is sometimes shown through the state of mind and it can happen that in some
people symptoms of depression appear. This is what we call SAD or seasonal affective
disorder, which is a type of depression associated with seasonal changes with pronounced
mood swings.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder or SAD is a recurrent major depressive disorder with a
seasonal pattern usually beginning in the fall and continuing into the winter months. (Steiger,
2016.) Recurring seasonal depression usually begins in the fall or winter and goes away in the
spring. It is a type of depression, characterized by severe mood swings during times when
there is little sunlight. Some of its typical symptoms are sadness, anxiety, pessimism, guilt,
irritability, generalized loss of interest, tiredness, low energy, difficulty concentrating,
insomnia, weight changes, etc... and there may also be other symptoms. Atypical symptoms,
such as increased sleep duration and carbohydrate craving. Cognitive symptoms, such as
memory and learning impairment, may also be present. (Porras, 2015).

Exposure to sunlight has been shown to immediately improve mood and cognition,
and this has been seen not only in people with SAD, but also in people diagnosed with other
forms of depression.
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Warm and Sunny Weather

Certainly, most of us feel good when the sky is clear and it's a sunny, warm and hot
day. Many studies have shown that even short periods of sunlight, in most cases of only a few
hours, are sufficient to improve the mood of a person and reduce any depressive symptoms.
The same effect accompanies artificial sunlight. If people are exposed to artificial sunlight,
this leads to an improvement in affective well-being in both depressive and healthy subjects
(Jacobsen et al. 1987; Kripke 1998; Leppa¨ma¨ki et al. 2002; Canbeyli 2010). . This positive
influence of sunlight on people’s moods is explained by a light-induced increase in serotonin
in the brain. Serotonin is known as a ‘happiness hormone’. It is related to movement and
initiative, positive mood, sexual desire, well-being, and even with euphoric states (Przuntek
and Muller, 2005). Only one study of short-term effects has been conducted so far.

This study by Schwartz and Clore (1983) had to do with an interview, in which they
asked people what was their level of satisfaction in their lives. Respondents were asked
questions on sunny or rainy days. Those interviewed on a sunny day reported significantly
higher life satisfaction than those interviewed on a rainy day.

However, extreme conditions of hot weather can lead to a state of aggressiveness and
a bad mood. Alexander Cohen states that the length of summer days naturally offsets
melatonin synthesis, which drastically diminishes the good effects of sunshine, the favorable
benefits of sunlight on mood should be naturally modest throughout the summer. Cohen
believes that the high temperatures that accompany summer sunshine may have a detrimental
influence on mood. Extremely high temperatures should affect a person's affective
well-being. Some studies have also found that high temperatures cause irritation (Holland et
al. 1985), aggressiveness (Berkowitz 1993), and even suicides (Barker et al. 1994; Page et al.
2007).

Cold Weather
When temperatures drop, what happens in our body goes beyond physiological
mechanisms. The cold also has an effect on our way of feeling, thinking and behaving,
although on many occasions we are not even aware of this. The influence of the cold on our
mood is becoming more and more noticeable as the thermometer shows lower temperatures.
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As we mentioned before, the seasonal affective disorder (SAD) tends to occur during
the seasons of autumn and winter. The Australian Psychological Society (2005) mention that
some factors that contribute to this disorder could be:

1. Reduced sunlight can affect the body’s circadian rhythms (internal body clock), which
can lead to feelings of depression.
2. Reduction in exposure to sunlight can cause a drop in Serotonin levels, which can
lead to feelings of depression. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that affects mood.
3. Disruptions to Melatonin (a type of hormone) levels, which can affect sleeping
patterns and mood.

Also in winter and especially when the intense cold begins, we tend to stay at home
and stay indoors. This change in our activity means that in addition to exposing ourselves less
to the few hours of light that there is, we decrease our activity and therefore block the main
sources of gratification or pleasure that we have. It is common for people to go out with their
friends less or do less outdoor sports. For most people, life becomes going from home to
work and from work to home, without stopping to think that it is necessary to maintain
baseline levels of activity and gratification in order to secrete the neurotransmitters that help
us to be more happy and balanced.

Cold weather and productivity

Cold and rain seem to be factors that do not help good job performance. However, in
his book "Drunk tank pink" (2013), Adam Alter, professor of marketing and psychology at
New York University, argues that people are biologically prepared to avoid sadness, seeking
different solutions to repair that state of mind. Hence, bad weather can make us think more
deeply and clearly, unlike sunny days where the environment does not present itself as a
threat. However, according to the expert, the problem lies in the process prior to work, where
the complex part is waking up and moving: “bad weather influences the decision to go to the
workplace and commit to the task. The problem is that they don't want to go to work. If
people could, they would stay at home; however, when you arrive and start the day, this
feeling ends”. (Alter, 2013).

It can increase the productivity of people working indoors, but cold weather can be
completely different in case of working outdoors. Cold weather is one important factor that
has a negative impact on construction productivity. Workers may undergo overall body
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cooling or tissue injury on exposed body parts in cold weather. Temperature has an impact
not just on individuals but also on building materials. “Cold temperatures, for example, have
an effect on the chemical processes required for concrete to generate the appropriate strength.
As a result, the hardening process slows (or even stops), prolonging the formwork removal
time.” (Larsson R. & Rudberg, M., 2021)

It is evident that cold weather and gray days play a huge role on people´s behaviour
and even causes society to act in a different way. Sunny adn bright days impact in a very
different way and ocassionate people to behave in a specific manner making them be more
productive and active in general. In order to confirm our established theory that establishes
“Weather does affect the way we behave, our moods, our health, and our happiness
individually and as a society.” We conducted a survey made up of several questions and
asked the students of EM Strasbourg for their opinions and comments about the weather and
the cities in which they live so that they could confirm our theory.

How can some of the coldest/happiest countries in the world beat SAD

Depending on where you live, approximately 10 percent of people experience a

sense of tireness and a desire to hibernate until spring. As temperatures cool and sunlight
diminishes, we can feel languid and depressed, which has a significant effect on body and
mind. Why do Nordic nations, the top contenders for seasonal affective disorder, are able to
survive, thrive, and stay happiest despite long, dark winters? It's all about mindset and
genes. Kari Leibowitz, a PhD candidate, conducted research on this topic.

Candidate in Psychology at Stanford University demonstrated in 2015 that a good

mindset can be used to explain why people living in regions with long, dark winters can
maintain such high levels of well-being. In the Norwegian culture, being active and spending
time outside are well-known mood boosters. Norwegians’ arsenal of coping mechanism also
includes the concept of koselig, whose regional equivalents include the Danish “hygge” and
the Swedish “mys.” “It’s a philosophy that combines coziness, companionship and nature,
taking pleasure in the simple things in life, to promote personal well-being.” (Leibowitz,
2015).

Culture and behavior may not be the only factors allowing people in some of the
world's darkest parts to thrive and survive throughout the arctic night. There is some
indication that genetics may be involved. Several epidemiological studies comparing the
incidence of SAD among populations in different countries suggest that some populations
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may have developed genetic resistance to the disease. A 1993 study by Magnusson and
Stefansson found a significant difference in the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder
between Icelanders (3.6 %) living at latitudes between 6 and 67 °N and Americans (7.6%)
living at much higher latitudes.

A study by Axelson et al. (2002) further suggests that genetic adaptation may
explain the predisposition to reduced SAR rates in certain populations. This study compared
SAR rates in two populations of Canadians living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. One is of Icelandic
ancestry and the other is of non-native Icelandic ancestry. Canadians in the Icelandic group
had an APR rate of. ,8 % and the non-Icelandic group had an APR rate of 9.1 %

“Happiest countries” and weather relationship

When we started this investigation we had the thought that the most happiest
countries would be the ones with a warm and sunny weather, however, following different
researchs, rankings and indicators; we found out that we were wrong. An article released by
the Columbia University Earth Institute Happiness Index in 2013, mentions that people
looking for better happiness and fulfillment in life should travel to northern Europe.
According to a poll of 156 nations, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and
Sweden are the world's happiest countries. Rwanda, Burundi, the Central African Republic,
Benin, and Togo are the least content with their lifestyles, according to the survey. Back in
2013 the happiest countries were the ones located in the north of europe and most of these
countries have a cold and harsh climate during the year

In 2022, the Ranking of Happiness 2019-2021 of the World Happiness Report

surprisingly shows similar results to the results of the Columbia University Earth Institute
Happiness Index back in 2013. Showing at the top of the ranking countries of northern
europe.
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World Happiness Report 2022 Figure 2.1 Ranking of Happiness based on a three-year-average 2019-2021

Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden, are still in the top ten
of happiest countries in the world. The 23 happiest countries include mostly countries with
cold weathers such as Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Sweden and Norway. While we can only observe few countries with sunny and hot weather
like: Israel, Bahrain, USA (Southern states) and Costa Rica. This means that countries with
sunny climates are not necessarily the happiest or that countries with cold climates are the
saddest.
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Survey: Results and Conclusion.

After conducting the survey we asked the students that are part of the Erasmus
programme and we received a lot of useful information that led to the conclusion that we had
established right from our beginning. The weather and climate of a region affects the
behaviour and mood. Not only does it impact the behavior but it can also impact the
economy, work force and health of people. It became evident that the students supported our
thesis since they mentioned that they feel lazier and lethargic during the winter because of the
weather. We asked them what they believed was the best type of weather and named a few
examples such as rainy, cloudy, stormy or sunny, warm, and bright and most their answers
confirmed that sunny weather was better. This question was an open question and some of
their answers were: “Sunny days are the best because we can enjoy the sunlight and do
various activities and I feel happier.” Another student said that “bright days because it makes
me feel like going out and be productive”, “warm because sun makes me happy”, “sunny,
because my mood is better”. Finally most of the answers supported sunny because they
believed that it made them feel with more energy and happy and it promoted productiveness.

One of the questions that was asked in the survey was to choose the feeling that they
associated with a gray rainy day and the feelings chosen were the following: Nostalgic, Lazy,
Gloomy, Sad, Unhappy, Loneliness. The feelings chosen reaffirm that the mood of
individuals can be severley affected by the weather of the day. A student even answered,
“Gray days make me be less productive and feel more nostalgic because I have to stay inside
and sometimes I don’t enjoy the mood.” Some of the answers explained that gray days lead to
people to be cold and feel more tired or lazier. Most answers concluded that cold and rainy
days are uncomfortable and unproductive. One of the students provided a very interesting
answer that supports our thesis which is that we need sunlight to produce certain hormones
that help our mood and make us be happier.

“When you wake up and see that the day is gray and rainy do you think this affects
your mood?”this was another question and 85.7% of students answered yes to this question.
When asked if when they wake up and see that the day ahead is sunny and bright do they feel
happier?, only 14.3% said no and the remaining percentage said that definitely. One of the
most interesting questions asked the following “Do you believe that the weather of the city
you live in affects your emotions, mood, and behavior?” for this question, 47.% answered
definitely, 47.6% answered yes, and only 4.8% said no. The rest of the questions were similar
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to the previous ones and they all led to the conclusion that the weather is very important
when speaking about individual behavior mood and societies well being.

Conclusion

In conclusion, after conducting an arduous research and survey we can conclude that
the hypothesis that we set is true and that the weather of a region does affect the way we
behave, our moods, our health, and our happiness individually and as a society. In fact, it
plays a very important role, since it shapes human behavior and health can be severely
affected because of the climate. When a day is sunny and bright the human race tends to turn
more productive and feels happier. On these types of days, people tend to enjoy the day even
more and go outside to perform activities. People enjoy the sunlight and are more motivated
during warmer weather days. On the other hand, when the day is darker and rainy people feel
lazy, they avoid the outdoor activities and even tend to stay inside which are actions that can
promote depression and lethargic moods.

This topic is very interesting and has resulted in constant debate and research. The debate
comes when the rankings of happiness show that the happiest countries are in a major part,
the ones that have a cold weather and are in north Europe. However, our research and survey
shows the opposite way. We can infer that those countries appear to be the happiest countries
of the world because of othe reasons, some of these reasons can be: good education, low
criminality, job opportunities, gender equality, high incomes, etc.

In conclusion, we can state that weather does affect how do we behave. It affects us
differently. Some people might feel happier in rainy days than sunnier days. Is just that some
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people are used to it or some people prefer that. Many people could feel lazy when the
temperature is to high, thats why we use A/C in our offices or schools. So, weather affects us
definitely, its you who chooses in which way to behave and how it affect you at the end.
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Annexes

Annex 1

Annex 2
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Annex 3

Annex 4
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Annex 5

Annex 6
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Annex 7

Annex 8
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Annex 9

Annex 10
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Annex 11

Annex 12

Annex 13
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