Melancholy, happiness and character traits

Professor of English Eric Wilson explores melancholy in many of his scholarly publications. In his latest book, Against Happiness, he hopes readers will consider that exploring difficult and sometimes painful issues can often lead to growth.

William Fleeson, an associate professor of psychology and researcher in personality, asks whether pensive sadness is an inherent part of one’s nature or if people have more control over their behavior and emotions than once thought.

Christian Miller, assistant professor of philosophy, researches whether character traits exist and whether they influence behavior, or if instead, human behavior is largely a product of environment and circumstance.