My research proposal condensed into a slideshow presentation.

1. The Significance of
Urbanization and
Happiness
Irene Ghobriel
Writing for the Sciences

2. ● Since the late 1800s, industrialization has had many results:
○ Urbanization
○ Rapid economic growth
○ Climate change
● Since then, climate change has persistently threatened our
environment, and ultimately our well-being.
● Unsurprisingly, the general public began prioritizing environmental
sustainability over other other aspects of their lifestyle in order to
mitigate the effects of climate change.
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

3. THE PUBLIC OPINION OF THE ENVIRONMENT
● According to the study, “How Environmental Quality Makes us Happy”
(Christian Krekel and George Mackerron), the importance of the
environment is universal.
● Gallup World Poll
○ 62% of respondents state that they value environmental protection
over economic growth
○ 74% of respondents regard global warming as a significant threat to
their well-being.
○ 88% of respondents state that nature affects their feels and life
evaluations.

4. HOW THE ENVIRONMENT MAKES US HAPPY
PSYCHOLOGY
Leads to reduced
stress levels, and
increased positive
emotions and cognitive
restoration
PHYSICAL
FACTORS
Absence of stressors
such as noise pollution,
and presence of
aesthetics
GOOD
HABITS
Increased social
interaction and
exercise
BIOPHILIA
An instinctive, close
connection between
humans and other
living organisms

5. WHAT ABOUT CITIES?
● Cities are an interesting result of the Industrial Revolution.
○ Vast amounts of people are concentrated in one area.
○ Many projects result, such as factories, job sites, and apartment
buildings.
● Cramped in order to prioritize the accommodation of the population rather
than recreational sites.
○ Tenement housing
● Cities are centers of industrialization
○ Many environmental and health risks result:
■ Pollution
■ Lack of green spaces
■ Respiratory threats

6. RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Cities juxtapose
environmental
spaces, therefore its
residents will report
low levels of
happiness.
HYPOTHESIS
Conduct a survey of residents in
a well-populated urban city and
analyze their response of their
happiness levels.
Happiness in Manhattan vs.
Queens or the South Bronx?
RESEARCH

7. WHAT DO OTHER STUDIES SHOW?
“How are Happy and Unhappy People Differently
Affected by Their Local Environments?”
When considering the physical characteristics of an area, residents
respond with dissatisfaction towards their natural amenities.
Furthermore, policy makers run into an issue of happiness inequality.
However, when focusing on green spaces and public facilities, both
problems are solved
“Are Sustainable Cities ‘Happy Cities?’”
Based on publicly available data, sustainability practices has resulted
in positive associations. Environmentally conscious decisions result
in happier residents.

8. WHAT DO OTHER STUDIES SHOW?
“The Degree of Urbanisation’s Effect on
Happiness
A survey states that those living in warm, rural areas are more likely
to be happier than those living in cold, city environments.
Specifically, 91% of rural residents report high levels of happiness,
while only 82% of their urban counterparts report likewise.
“The Impact of the Physical and Urban
Environment on Mental Well-Being”
Cities possess characteristics that are inherently harmful to well-being,
such as noise pollution and poor aesthetics. When further investigating
the contributors to low levels of happiness within Greenwich, London,
many residents reported that they were dissatisfied with the lack of
available green spaces and public facilities.

9. WHAT NEXT?
● We can survey the residents of major urban cities such as New York and Chicago and
gauge their happiness levels towards living in cities.
● According to the studies aforementioned, cities have the best success when both natural
and urban designs coexist.
○ Thus, if cities report low levels of happiness, the problem can be mitigated through
projects to build parks and protect natural amenities.
● We can even take this one step further by comparing Manhattan, which has many green
spaces, and the South Bronx, which is burdened by environmental racism.

10. Works Cited
● Anderson, J. (2020, December 9). Biophilia – What is it and why is it important? | Planteria. Planteria.
https://www.planteriagroup.com/blog/biophilia-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-
important/#:~:text=The%20word%20biophilia%20originates%20from,drive%20imprinted%20into%20our%20D
NA.
● Ballas, D. (2013). What makes a ‘happy city’? Cities, 32, S39–S50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2013.04.009
● Cloutier, S., Larson, L. R., & Jambeck, J. (2014). Are sustainable cities “happy” cities? Associations between
sustainable development and human well-being in urban areas of the United States. Environment, Development
and Sustainability, 16(3), 633–647. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-013-9499-0
● Guite, H. F., Clark, C. R., & Ackrill, G. (2006). The impact of the physical and urban environment on mental well-
being. Public Health, 120(12), 1117–1126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhe.2006.10.005
● Lee, S., Song, T., & Lim, U. (2022). How are happy and unhappy people differently affected by their local
environments? The heterogeneous relationship between happiness and local environments in Seoul, Korea.
Cities, 127, 103768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.103768
● Nichols, B. L. D. E. P. a. S. (2021, August 13). The Degree of Urbanisation’s Effect on Happiness. Gallup.com.
https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/315857/degree-urbanisation-effect-happiness.aspx
● Sander, W. (2011). Location and happiness in the United States. Economics Letters, 112(3), 277–279.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2011.05.015