Matt Killingsworth

Matt Killingsworth, Ph.D., is a prominent psychologist known for his research on the nature and causes of human happiness. He earned his Ph.D. in Psychology from Harvard University, where he conducted significant research alongside Daniel Gilbert, leading to the creation of the iPhone app "Track Your Happiness." This app is part of a larger global research project that collects real-time happiness data from users to explore various aspects of happiness, including its relationship with daily activities and mind-wandering.

Education and Background

Before obtaining his Ph.D., Killingsworth studied at Duke University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, focusing on Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Economics. His diverse educational background supports his interdisciplinary approach to studying happiness, integrating insights from psychology, economics, and engineering.

Research Focus

Killingsworth's research primarily investigates how different factors, such as social relationships, work environments, and financial circumstances, influence happiness. His notable findings include the conclusion that mind-wandering is often linked to unhappiness, as outlined in his landmark study "A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind," published in Science. This study revealed that people spend nearly half of their waking hours thinking about things other than their current activities, which negatively impacts their happiness levels.1257

Current Role

Currently, Dr. Killingsworth is a Senior Fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and continues to direct the Track Your Happiness project. His work has been featured in major media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, and Time Magazine, highlighting the relevance and impact of his research on understanding happiness in everyday life.346