Who’s happier, men or women? Research shows it’s a complicated question and that asking whether males or females are happier isn’t really that helpful, because essentially, happiness is different for women and men.
Women’s happiness has been declining for the past 30 years, according to recent statistics. And research shows that women are twice as likely to experience depression compared with men. Gender differences in depression are well established, and studies have found that biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to the disparity.
But research also shows that women are more likely to experience intense positive emotions — such as joy and happiness — compared to men. So it seems that women’s more intense positive emotions balance out their higher risk of depression. Research also shows women are more likely to try and get help and access treatment — allowing them to also recover sooner.
Early studies on gender and happiness found men and women were socialized to express different emotions. Women are more likely to express happiness, warmth, and fear, which helps with social bonding and appears more consistent with the traditional role as primary caregiver, whereas men display more anger, pride, and contempt, which are more consistent with a protector and provider role.