One of psychologist Martin Seligman's early research projects involved giving students one of two assignments-- they could do a good deed or they could give themselves a treat. He asked them to rate their happiness at the time and a week later. When the event occurred, the students who had done a good deed reported higher happiness scores. And a week later, these students felt even happier when they remembered their good deed than did the students who had indulged themselves. Seligman discovered that not only is philanthropic action more fun than doing something defined as pleasurable, but also that it has longer-lasting effects on happiness.