Many people notice that smart people tend to feel happy apart from others and do not feel so when surrounded by friends or family.
In fact, this fact has reasons, according to a new study from previous studies and research on the Savannah theory of happiness, and the impact of our predecessors' needs on our feelings.
The Savannah Theory
An interesting study by Norman Lee of the Singapore University of Management and Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics and Political Science on the savannah theory of happiness, according to a summary published by the World Economic Forum,
The researchers believe that no one can deny the impact of human communication and the presence of friends and family on human happiness, especially with the apparent suffering of modern urban residents of loneliness, alienation and depression, all of which are called "diseases of the times."
The savannah theory of happiness states that "we act in response to circumstances as our predecessors did, and that our psychological development is based on the needs of the ancestors when they lived in savannah areas", in relatively small groups spaced apart.
The study analyzed data from interviews and questionnaires that are part of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, an American study of the levels of satisfaction with life, intelligence and health between 2001 and 2002 that included 15,197 people between the ages of 18 and 28.
The two countries searched for a link between the place of residence of the research sample (rural or city) and the level of satisfaction with them, and they focused on assessing how the density of population and friendship affect their happiness.
Large groups
In general, the study found that people tend to be less happy in densely populated areas.
The researchers believe that this supports Savannah theory, because we naturally tend to feel uncomfortable in large groups, because our brains evolved to work in a community of no more than 150 people.
The researchers cited this finding through a series of studies, research and books published previously, all of which determined without exception that the average acceptable group size for happiness is between 150 and 200 people, which is prevalent in primitive societies and ancestral communities and villages in Mesopotamia.
The study found that the negative factor influencing the presence of many people, was more pronounced in those with normal intelligence.
The researchers suggested that our more intelligent ancestors were more able to adapt to large groups in Savannah because of the greater strategic flexibility available to them, so their grandchildren felt less stressed in today's urban environments.
Need for friends
As good friendships seem to increase the living satisfaction of many people, Lee and Kanazawa have noticed that they know only one study of why this is true.
This single study concluded that friendship meets the psychological needs such as "relationship", the need for "need" and the need to "share experiences". However, why these needs remain so far remains unclear.
Lee and Kanazawa feel that we need more research on savannah theory, and said that friendships - alliances have been vital to survival and survival in ancient times, as they facilitate the group to do the hunter and the participation of food and reproduction and even raising children.
The data they analyzed supported the assumption that few good friendships were better than much weaker ones, as they significantly increased the level of satisfaction of most people.
In societies with high intelligence, the image is reflected, they tend to be happier in isolation than others, and even from good friends.
