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Philosophy's Anthony Jack says happiness is fueled by social climate, but hard to measure

Media | September 09, 2026 | Story by: Editorial Staff

Map Reveals America’s Happiest—and Least Happy—States

Newsweek: Anthony Jack, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, said “the social climate” is the most important driver of happiness, particularly rich and meaningful relationships. He cautioned, however, that social connection is difficult to measure reliably across different contexts, limiting the precision of happiness rankings.