Berkley Greater Good Science Center
Our Core Beliefs
Our strategy to achieve these long-term outcomes has been based on the following beliefs, which are themselves grounded in the science that we cover.
Compassion is a fundamental human trait, with deep psychological and evolutionary roots. By creating environments that promote care and cooperation—and by elevating people’s beliefs about what they're capable of—we help nurture the positive side of human nature.
Happiness is not simply dependent on a person's genes. It is a set of skills that can be taught, and, with practice, developed over time.
Happiness and altruism are intertwined--doing good is an essential ingredient to being happy, and happiness helps spur kindness and generosity.
Science should do more than help us understand human behavior and emotion in the abstract; it should be applied toward improving people’s personal and professional lives. By drawing on research suggesting the importance of social-emotional skills, we seed demand for high-quality resources that build those skills.
Studying the roots of good, healthy, and positive behavior is just as important as studying human pathologies. To promote individual and social well-being, science must examine how people overcome difficult circumstances and how they develop positive emotions and relationships.
Individual well-being promotes social well-being, and social well-being promotes individual well-being. The well-being of society as a whole, then, can be supported by providing information, tools, and skills to those people directly responsible for shaping the well-being of others.