UBC study examines use of emojis in romantic contexts – and how some emojis have double meanings

For some, an eggplant emoji evokes visions of a fabulous dinner, while for others, it could suggest an intimate interlude after dessert.

UBC Okanagan researchers are hoping to better understand interpretations of these small, emotion-portraying images through a new study. They found that emojis were included in half of all texts and 80 per cent of social media posts. In addition, they demonstrated an emerging trend of emojis being used for sexually suggestive messages.

“The use of emojis enhances the expression of emotion and personality in messages,” says Jocelyn Wentland, lead author of the project and adjunct psychology professor at UBC Okanagan’s Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences. “Ours is one of the first studies to explore the relationship between emoji use, personality traits and sexual behaviour.”

Wentland and her team, including former psychology undergraduate students Samantha Thomson and Emily Kluftinger, examined emoji use in a sample of over 650 participants. They found that the most commonly used emojis included the heart, happy face and winking face. Participants identified the top sexually suggestive emojis (“sexy emoji”) as the smirk face, winking face, kissing faces, sweat droplets and eggplant.

Seventy-five per cent of the individuals surveyed indicated they had sent a sexually suggestive image, many of which included a sexy emoji.

“What’s really cool is that we now have evidence that people really are using emojis to add emotional and sexual cues to their text messages,” says Wentland. “That may be in subtle ways, such as using a winking face, but it can also be in much more sexually suggestive ways, such as the eggplant or the tongue emoji.”

Wentland adds that the honours thesis research of Kluftinger illustrated a correlation between those with higher extraversion—or outgoing—behaviour and an increased likelihood of using sexy emojis.

Wentland also suggests that emojis can lead to sexting. “Fifty-one per cent of participants who reported sexting, reported that sexy emoji use often led to sexting instances,” says Wentland. “Our team suspects that people may add sexy emoji to their text conversations to subtly see how the other person responds. If the person responds favourably, it could be game on.”

Wentland points out that this is the first study of its kind to look at how modern communication tools like emojis can provide an emotional component to what might otherwise be a cold, text-based computer-mediated message. She says her study contributes additional clues into the type of person who is more likely to use emojis—particularly sexual ones—and may help to inform what impact this new form of communication may have on developing relationships.

“However, we still need further research to determine the perceptions of and impacts on the sender and receiver when exchanging emojis, especially in a sexting context. This is an extremely interesting line of research as emojis become more popular,” says Wentland.

The study was published recently in the Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality.

UBC Okanagan researchers are hoping to better understand interpretations of emojis through a new study.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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When it comes to freshwater availability, more than 50 per cent of the world’s total water supply is found in only three countries—China, Canada and Kyrgyzstan.

Canada and Russia have the most to lose or gain, say researchers

According to a new article published in Conservation Biology, the potential for large countries to contribute to environmental protection is being overlooked.

The researchers, spanning 13 universities and three countries, were led by UBC Okanagan’s Laura Coristine and Adam T. Ford. They recently examined the leverage an individual country has when it comes to protecting ecosystem values. And they say it isn’t—nor should it be—a level playing field.

“Loss of habitat is currently the single biggest threat to biodiversity and is being driven by an ever-expanding human footprint,” says Coristine. “We asked which countries had the most to contribute to protecting nature and important environmental values.”

Ford, a Canada Research Chair in Wildlife Restoration Ecology, says the researchers calculated the land mass of the world’s countries and then compared this to the availability of ecosystem values. The eight largest countries—Russia, Canada, America, China, Brazil, Australia, India and Argentina—account for 50 per cent of the Earth’s land area. However, those same countries represent barely three per cent of the world’s nations.

“Larger countries accumulate greater amounts of ecosystem values,” says Ford, and so, the power to make decisions that affect the world’s environment — for better or worse — is concentrated in the hands of only a few nations.

For this latest research, the team evaluated six globally significant ecosystem values for all of the world’s countries: intact lands, freshwater availability, productive marine environments, breeding habitat for migratory wildlife, soil carbon storage and the potential for range shift in the face of climate change. By closely examining these specific values, Coristine says the team revealed several overlooked opportunities for high-impact contributions to global conservation.

For example, when it comes to freshwater availability, Coristine explains that more than 50 per cent of the world’s total water supply (surface and glacier stored) is found in only three countries—China, Canada and Kyrgyzstan. How these countries manage and protect these water supplies matters to the world as a whole.

“The water policies of these three nations control half of the world’s ‘tap’ of water and will have consequences not only for the global persistence of a wide variety of ecosystems,” Coristine says, “but also for global water security.”

The same argument can be used when it comes to the continental shelves. Generally, the management of continental shelves belongs to the adjacent nation. That country’s domestic policies can have a tremendous impact on the sustainability of marine resources, with trickle-down effects to nations with much smaller contributions to the continental shelf area.

The countries that are the largest contributors to the global supply of continental shelf area are Russia, Canada, Australia and the USA. Russia and Canada top the list when it comes to intact wilderness and half of the world’s least impacted lands occur in those two countries.

The authors conclude that the domestic policies of a few nations, including Canada and Russia, can disproportionately influence the global supply of ecosystem values. At the same time, the national policies of these nations can have environmental repercussions for the rest of the world.

“Conservation superpowers—like Canada and Russia—have much greater leverage than we would predict based on their land mass,” says Coristine. “They have tremendous potential to impact global conservation outcomes through accumulation of ecosystem values and through policies that support conservation.”

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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Lonesome George was the famed last representative of a giant tortoise species once found on the Galapagos island of Pinta. Image credit: Mark Putney

Even after death, Lonesome George’s genome provides clues to longer life

Ever since Darwin’s first steps on the Galapagos Islands, understanding the adaptations that offer the giant tortoise its extended lifespan has been a tantalizing scientific pursuit.

And now, new research by an international team including researchers from UBC’s Okanagan campus has used the DNA from one famous giant tortoise to uncover the genes that are associated with their longevity. The discovery provides clues to better understand aging in humans and may help preserve the species, says Michael Russello, study co-author and biology professor at UBC Okanagan.

“Giant tortoises are among the longest living vertebrate animals and have become an interesting model for studying longevity and age related-disease,” says Russello. “Even though they’re one of few animals that can live longer than 100 years, there has been surprisingly little research into the giant tortoise genome.”

To help identify the genes that give the giant tortoise its extended lifespan, the researchers compared the complete DNA sequence from two long-lived giant tortoises. They used samples from Lonesome George–the famed last representative of a species once found on the Galapagos island of Pinta–and from another giant tortoise species found on the Aldabra Atoll, a coral island in the Indian Ocean.

By comparing the giant tortoise genomes with those from other species, including humans, they found interesting variation within genes linked to DNA repair, immune response, and cancer suppression not possessed by shorter-lived vertebrates. None of those genomic variants had been previously associated with aging, offering new avenues for further study.

While individual tortoises have remarkable longevity, Russello says the Galapagos giant tortoises do not, with all living species considered threatened or endangered. He says the results of their study could provide clues into the biological processes and adaptations that gave rise to giant tortoises in the first place, while helping to better protect these animals on the verge of disappearing altogether.

“Lonesome George was a very interesting character in his own right, embodying the plight of endangered species until his death in 2012,” says Russello. “While he inspired many while he was alive, his legacy now lives on through a story written in his DNA.”

The study was published last week in Nature Ecology & Evolution.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

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UBC, BCIT partner with private cannabis company to brew beverage ideas

A unique partnership between UBC Okanagan, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and a private company, Pacific Rim Brands, has opened the door for the research and development of cannabis-infused beverages.

Professor Susan Murch, who teaches chemistry at UBC Okanagan, and Paula Brown, director of BCIT’s Natural Health and Food Products Research Group and Canada Research Chair in Phytoanalytics have partnered with Pacific Rim Brands, a Kelowna-based integrated cannabis company to develop beverage formulas containing cannabis extracts.

“We are at the early stages of this research and are very excited about the potential for both interesting science and new products for consumers,” says Murch.

Susan Murch, professor of chemistry.

Murch’s research investigates the chemistry of plants and how plant chemistry affects human health. She’s interested in cannabis ingredients and how they can be used in beverages.

“We are seeing industry recalls in cannabis products because we really don’t know how to use the ingredients on a large scale,” she says. “Making stable products that can sit on store shelves for months or years requires innovation.”

BCIT’s Paula Brown also investigates plant chemistry and works with the natural products industry to develop new products, establish standards of quality and ensure regulatory compliance.

“Like any new sector, the science and formulation will be the most important element to ensure consistency, scalability and trust,” says Brown. “There is a lot of work to be done to develop stable, high-quality, consistent cannabis formulations that consumers can use with confidence.”

The partnership with Pacific Rim allows Murch and Brown to develop high-quality cannabis beverages for health, wellness and leisure, explains Kevin Letun, founder and chief strategy officer of Pacific Rim Brands.

“This is a very exciting time for research institutions and cannabis companies in the private sector,” says Letun. “The impeccable credentials of these professors and their on-going research will give industry partners and the consumer the quality assurance they require.”

The collaboration between BCIT, UBC Okanagan and Pacific Rim Brands provides the opportunity to conduct more research about the chemicals in cannabis and at the same time conduct research on products that can be brought to markets across Canada and globally,” says Kim Dotto, Dean of Applied Research at BCIT.

“This partnership reconfirms the ongoing commitment required to drive research nationally and internationally,” adds Dotto. “BCIT is committed to these collaborations and applauds the highly-skilled researchers involved with this exciting project.”

Phil Barker, vice-principal research at UBC’s Okanagan campus, says the university has a long history of innovation and commercializing new products. UBC was recently named one of the world’s most innovative universities on Reuters Top 100 list—one of only two Canadian universities to receive this distinction.

“Our campus has a growing reputation for embracing creativity and risk-taking, and this research partnership is no exception,” says Barker. “We’re excited to be at the forefront of responsible research that prioritizes the safe use of cannabis in our communities.”

For more information about UBC Okanagan cannabis research, visit: ok.ubc.ca/okanagan-stories/o-cannabis

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world.

To find out more, visit: ok.ubc.ca.

About the British Columbia Institute of Technology

• With five campuses and more than 50,000 students, BCIT is one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutes.
• BCIT offers more than 300 programs—from certificates and diplomas, to bachelor’s and master’s degrees—in areas such as applied and natural sciences, business and media, computing, engineering, health sciences, and trades and apprenticeship.
• BCIT degree graduates have a 96 per cent employment rate.
• BCIT applied research creates innovative solutions to industry challenges and is critical to the growth and success of BC business. It is integral to the Institute’s unique education model – enhancing the student experience through hands-on learning opportunities that solve real-world problems.
• For more information: www.bcit.ca

About Pacific Rim Brands

• An integrated cannabis company developing proprietary beverage formulations for consumer trusted products and brands
• Scientific expertise through partnerships with UBC Okanagan and BCIT ensuring the highest standards of quality to ensure regulatory compliance
• Focused on the health, wellness and leisure markets across Canada and around the Globe
• For more information: pacificrimbrands.com

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Everything that grows in the Okanagan will be impacted by climate change, population growth, consumption, production and changes in land use. Learn more at the Okanagan Research Forum on December 3.

What: Okanagan Research Forum
Who: UBC Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services and UBC Okanagan Institute for Community Engaged Research
When: Monday, December 3 from 8:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.; keynote lecture at noon
Where: Summerhill Pyramid Winery ballroom, 4870 Chute Lake Road, Kelowna

The Okanagan Research Forum invites the community to listen to experts and take part in an open discussion about the future of food production in the Okanagan.

The forum is hosted by UBC Okanagan’s Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience, and Ecosystem Services (BRAES) and the Institute for Community Engaged Research (ICER). It’s a collaboration with partner organizations in an effort to share information and encourage conversation between the community, government and academia.

Presenters from local organizations include Westbank First Nation, the Certified Organic Association, the City of Kelowna, the Central Okanagan Food Policy Council, the B.C. Wildlife Federation, the En’owkin Centre and the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems.

This year’s theme is to explore changes in local food systems and will consider issues such as climate change, access to land, consumption, sustainable food production and future land use.

Four expert panels will discuss agricultural land use, policy, production and consumption. Each panel will be moderated by a UBC Okanagan professor or alumnus, and include farmers, representatives from relevant organizations and other experts. The goal is to explore how ‘eating the Okanagan’ applies to social, cultural and ecological systems. The day will conclude with a research poster session accompanied by a wine and cheese event.

The afternoon keynote lecture on indigenous plant foods will be presented by Nancy Turner, emeritus professor and ethnobotanist from the University of Victoria. All four panel discussions and the keynote lecture are open to the public. There is a nominal registration fee for the day to cover the cost of food and beverages.

This year’s forum is sponsored by UBC Okanagan’s BRAES, ICER, the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, the College of Graduate Studies and the BC Institute of Agrologists.

To register, or get more information, visit okresearchforum.geolive.ca or contact Carolina Restrepo at carolina.restrepo@ubc.ca.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Computer science and math students hope the award will inspire others

In BC, women make up 20 per cent of the high-tech workforce, far less than the national average according to the BC Tech Association. But those statistics are changing thanks in part to three young women from UBC’s Okanagan campus.

Emily Medema, Angie Pinchbeck and Marlie Russell were each awarded one of ten $10,000 Women in Technology Scholarships this week from the Irving K. Barber BC Scholarship Society. The scholarship recognizes exceptionally high-calibre students seeking degrees in computer science, engineering, and math.

Medema is in her second year of an undergraduate degree in computer science and came to UBC Okanagan from Vernon, BC. While she balances her time between her role as VP of Finance for the Quantitative Sciences Course Union and her school work, she says her love of problem solving and creativity is what truly drives her.

“Computer science provides me with an outlet for both my logical and creative sides,” says Medema. “Sadly, there’s a lack of women in STEM and the tech industry. I believe we’re an untapped asset for any company operating in that space, and indeed for STEM fields as a whole. My hope is that this scholarship can help many more women continue in technology.”

Pinchbeck, a fourth-year undergraduate student, is pursuing a double major in math and computer science and says she found her calling in technology after taking a chance on one of her courses.

“I never would have guessed I would end up pursuing math and computer science,” says Pinchbeck. “I was in the midst of a journalism degree that wasn’t really working for me when I took a programming class and loved it. Now, with the help of this award, I’ll be continuing my education in machine learning. A field that will undoubtedly reshape the world in which we live.”

She also hopes that the scholarship will spark more opportunities for mentorship.

“As women, we need to see and support each other in these industries—especially in computer science, which was originally a female dominated field,” adds Pinchbeck. “We are among the first ten women to ever achieve this scholarship, and I’m looking forward to meeting and supporting future recipients.”

Russell is from Williams Lake, BC, and is also working towards an undergraduate degree in computer science at UBC Okanagan. As a former wildfire fighter, she says she hopes her past experience can help shape her future in the tech industry.

“Computer science has encouraged me to expand my mental capacity in ways I never thought possible,” says Russell. “My goal is to return to the Cariboo region and apply my skills in technology to the natural resource sector.”

For Deborah Buszard, UBC Okanagan’s deputy vice-chancellor and principal, these three scholarships demonstrate the ingenuity and potential of the Okanagan campus and its students.

“At UBC Okanagan, we have world-class programs in science, engineering and technology. Encouraging more women to enter these fields will bring untold potential to the tech sector,” says Buszard. “I’m delighted that three students have been selected for this award and I thank the province as well as the Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society for recognizing their unique talents and the potential of all women in technology.”

Medema, Pinchbeck and Russell formally received their award on November 13 at an event hosted by Her Honour, Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. For more information about the award, visit: ikbbc.ca/women-in-tech/about-this-scholarship

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Public is invited to discussion about extinction and our peril

What: The great dying: The modern extinction of species and humanity’s peril
Who: Professor Corey Bradshaw, Matthew Flinders Fellow in Global Ecology Flinders University, Australia
When: Tuesday, November 20, from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
Where: Library building, room LIB 305, 3333 University Way, UBC Okanagan

Conservation ecologist Corey Bradshaw, professor at Flinders University, comes from an eclectic background. Growing up as the son of a trapper in Canada, he had the opportunity to form a unique view of the environment. From his childhood experiences, he learned that without intact environmental functions, precious resources quickly degrade or disappear. This appreciation of natural processes later led him into academia and the pursuit of reducing the rate of the extinction crisis.

He is now based at Flinders University in Australia and has a vibrant research lab where he applies quantitative skills to everything from conservation ecology, climate change, energy provision, human population trends, ecosystem services, sustainable agriculture, human health, palaeoecology, carbon-based conservation initiatives and restoration techniques.

This event, sponsored by the UBC Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services, is free and open to the public.

For more information contact: carolina.restrepo@ubc.ca

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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What: Undergraduate Research Awards Symposium
Who: Students in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
When: September 17 and 18, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. and September 19, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Where: UBC Okanagan’s University Centre Ballroom, room UNC 200

Those with a curious mind are invited to attend next week’s 13th annual Undergraduate Research Awards Symposium at UBC’s Okanagan campus.

At the symposium, undergraduate students in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences will present their findings of research projects conducted over the summer.

The University of British Columbia is one of Canada’s top research institutions. Undergraduate Research Award winners in the Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences work with top researchers in their field to address original research questions that have local, national and international impact.

The event is free and open to the public. A complete list of presenters and topics is available online.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Study shows TEMPO is up to 100 times more powerful than vitamin E

Naturally-derived anti-oxidants have become the ‘it’ health ingredient to look for in food. But researchers from UBC Okanagan and the University of Bologna have discovered that TEMPO—a well-known artificial anti-oxidant—is up to 100 times more powerful than nature’s best and could help counteract everything from skin damage to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that are naturally present in the body and are created during routine natural processes like breathing, according to UBC Okanagan Chemistry Professor Gino DiLabio and study co-author.

Gino DiLabio is a professor and head of the Department of Chemistry at UBC Okanagan

“Free radicals are a natural part of human metabolism. But when our bodies have too many, like when we’re exposed to UV radiation from the sun, when we smoke, or even when we drink alcohol, it can be a problem,” says DiLabio. “These extremely reactive molecules can damage cells or DNA and can contribute to many different diseases, like Alzheimer’s, and some researchers think they may even be responsible for aging.”

While the body already has its own chemical defenses against free radicals through vitamin C and vitamin E, DiLabio and his colleagues wanted to know how a human-made anti-oxidant called TEMPO would perform.

To explore the idea, the researchers used a mimicked cell environment to test how effective TEMPO was in converting free radicals to non-harmful molecules compared to vitamin E.

“We were surprised to learn that TEMPO was up to 100 times faster at converting free radicals than vitamin E in fatty environments,” says DiLabio. “That means that it could be a particularly effective means of protecting skin tissues or even the walls of cells from radical damage.”

Dilabio says that the study may lead to the development of a pharmaceutical therapy to help prevent free radical damage.

“I could see this leading to the development of a topical cream to protect your skin after exposure to the sun or even a pill that could protect your neurons from getting damaged. The possibilities are very exciting.”

The article was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society with funding from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Canada Foundation for Innovation and the BC Knowledge Development Fund.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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Study proves people are able to control their own happiness

A UBC researcher has helped establish that, even for people who have a fear of happiness, brief positive psychology interventions embedded within university courses can enhance well-being.

Holli-Anne Passmore, a PhD candidate in psychology at UBC’s Okanagan campus, does research on well-being and personal happiness. There are conflicting views on the value of happiness, and a person’s culture or religion can significantly affect how personal happiness is understood.

Collaborating with international colleagues, Passmore recently examined the effects of a positive psychology intervention (PPI) study at the culturally diverse Canadian University of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. More than 270 students, from 39 different countries, participated in the study and 78 per cent of them were Muslim. For half of the students, the Happiness 101 program was added to the regular curriculum of an Introduction to Psychology course.

“Fear of happiness is a real thing. Others worry about the fragility of happiness,” Passmore says. “In some cultures, a person may not want to be too happy or believe that if they outwardly strive for happiness, they may tempt fate or create social disharmony. They may also believe that any happiness enjoyed will only be fleeting. Valuing happiness is not universally shared.”

“There are a lot of students who live with the underlying sentiment that happiness is beyond their control,” says Passmore. “They truly believe happiness is mainly controlled by specific events, or a religious deity or a being, or other circumstances.”

Passmore says participants learned to use positive psychology interventions—analytically validated and focused activities designed to increase the frequency of positive emotions and experiences. PPIs can help with anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, optimism, relationships, hopelessness, and the ability to deal with stress and trauma, she adds.

The researchers measured different aspects of the students’ well-being at the beginning and end of the semester, and three months later. Compared to students who were not exposed to the positive psychology interventions, students who had the PPI program added to the usual course content reported higher levels of well-being at the end of the semester. Additionally, says Passmore, fear of happiness decreased and the belief that happiness is fragile was also reduced. The boost in well-being and the decreases in beliefs regarding fear and fragility of happiness were still evident three months after the course.

“It’s important to validate the effectiveness of PPIs cross-culturally,” Passmore says. “This is the first study that we’re aware of, which shows you can manipulate beliefs in the fear and fragility of happiness. While no difference in religiosity was evident between the two groups at post-intervention, our participants came to the understanding that they do have some control over their own happiness.”

The study was published recently in the Journal of Happiness Studies.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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