The Science of Well-Being

The Science of Well-Being connects research about happiness to the difficulty of changing familiar habits. Its useful distinction is between understanding an idea and making room to practice it. The course asks you to examine expectations about what improves life rather than assuming that a compelling explanation automatically changes behavior.

What you will learn

• Examine common assumptions about happiness
• Understand selected well-being research concepts
• Reflect on habits and expectations
• Plan and review a practical behavior-change exercise

Who this suits

Suitable for a beginner interested in psychology and personal habits. No academic background is required. The reflective exercises are more useful when you describe your own observations carefully instead of treating the course as a promise that the same activity will affect everyone identically.

Before you enroll

This is educational material, not treatment for a mental-health condition. Research findings describe patterns and do not guarantee an individual result. Leave time to try an exercise consistently and assess whether it fits your circumstances before adding several new habits at once.

Coursera's full course and certificate access follow current enrollment terms. Preview, trial, and financial-aid options can vary.

Put it into practice

Choose one manageable habit, define when you will do it, and record what happened without turning the log into a judgment of yourself.

Source and review

This overview is based on the provider's published information, checked on 11 October 2026. It is an editorial assessment, not a claim that we completed the resource. Time filters are approximate study ranges; projects and exercises can take longer.

View the curriculum and current access options at Coursera.

How YellowCourse describes and checks learning resources.