Respect for Rule of Law Maximizes Happiness

Research finds that nations with more "civic nationalism" (respect for laws, institutions) than "ethnic nationalism" (respect for religion, ancestry, culture) were more happy.

A Judge's Brain

For a trial, the judge has to 1) decide if the person is guilty and 2) the appropriate punishment. FMRI scans revealed that a brain region involved in analytical thought was most active when deciding guilt but a different area, more in tune with emotion, became activated when deciding punishment.