Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier

In the PANAS, or Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Cheerleaders denote a quadrant of individuals who score high on positive affect and low on negative affect. They generally experience and express enthusiasm, excitement, and joy. Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey note that while this quadrant may seem desirable and conducive to happiness, Cheerleaders may have difficulty delivering bad news or dealing with negative emotions.

Companionate love, a term used by social scientists, refers to a type of love that is characterized by stability, commitment, affection, and mutual understanding. Brooks and Winfrey describe it as a “special kind of friendship” (141). They uphold companionate love as the ultimate goal of a long-term romantic relationship. They also distinguish this concept from that of passion, which is more common in the early stages of a relationship.

The authors define compassion in juxtaposition with empathy. They believe that in order for empathy to increase happiness for both the giver and receiver, it must be modified into compassion. The key difference between empathy and compassion, they contend, is that compassion involves an element of emotional toughness that allows people to feel others’ emotions without being overwhelmed by them, allowing them to take action.