A study led by SMU Assistant Professor of Psychology Jacinth Tan found that a person’s socioeconomic status may affect their happiness. The study, entitled “The association between objective and subjective socioeconomic standing and subjective well-being”, found that people with higher subjective socioeconomic status – their perception of their income and educational standing compared to others – reported significantly higher levels of happiness. The new research was motivated by an apparent disparity in previous research that has showed weak links between income and happiness and the idea that many people actively seek out prestigious jobs and higher status, the authors say.