This Thanksgiving, be thankful for poor friends and relations

If you’re sitting down on Thursday to a Thanksgiving table with poor friends and relatives, rejoice. If you’re sitting down to a table surrounded by wealthier folks, brace yourselves.

Those poor loved ones are more likely to be better tuned in to your emotions than the rich ones. This Hartford Courant article explains a new study on emotional perception: “The researchers speculate that the results show that people in higher income and education levels need to depend on others less, so it’s less important for them to read the emotions of those around them.”

Maybe so, but don’t let it get to you. And if you’re happy, likely it’s because you’re a bit more focused than others. This Los Angeles Times article explains how researchers discovered what makes happy people happy (concentration) and what makes unhappy people unhappy (wandering minds) – not that any of your rich buddies will notice.