Nancy Etcoff gives us a glimpse into how human it is to be happy, how things that makes us sad and angry stacks up against things that makes us happy, and some general physiology and psychology of happiness. This talk is from 2004, but for some reason, it wasn't posted till now (Jun 2009). But I'm happy it got posted. :-)

Cognitive researcher Nancy Etcoff looks at happiness -- the ways we try to achieve and increase it, the way it's untethered to our real circumstances, and its surprising effect on our bodies.

Nancy Etcoff is part of a new vanguard of cognitive researchers asking: What makes us happy? Why do we like beautiful things? And how on earth did we evolve that way?