ABSTRACT
Many correlational studies have examined whether prosocial behavior is positively associated with higher levels of happiness or well-being. A large body of research has shown that a positive relationship exists between prosocial behavior and well-being, and longitudinal evidence provides support for the claim that volunteering increases happiness. Interestingly, the amount of money that participants spent did not influence happiness levels, suggesting that how people spent their money was more important than how much money they spent. The typical correlation between money and happiness, both within and between nations, is relatively small. Furthermore, people have poor insight into the relationship between money and happiness, as well as the benefits of generous spending. Although some traditional economic, philosophical, and evolutionary theories suggest that people should rarely engage in generous acts toward others, humans do frequently sacrifice their time and money to benefit others.
