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Research on happiness examines effects of punishment

Just as cutting edge brain science research has begun to force reformulation of many core assumptions in the justice system, modern punishment theories could be radically altered by new empirical research on happiness according to a new article which Doc Berman linked to recently, "Happiness and Punishment, by law and economics professors John Bronsteen, Christopher Buccafusco and Jonathan Masur out of the University of Chicago,.These law profs say an increasingly mature field of research known as "hedonic psychology," or simply hedonics, has developed tools for longitudinal measurements of happiness and a consensus on the effect of punishment on people's happiness levels. Based on this research, their article examines "how and to what extent do fines and incarceration negatively affect happiness or well-being," then demonstrates how the results have major implications for utilitarian, retributivist, and mixed punishment theories...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on September 06, 2008 (boomark / email).