I’m the kind of person, when something makes me happy (in particular, delicious food, good music, or a warm exchange w/ another human being), I get a feeling of, like, bliss – it’s as much physical as it is intangible. Sort of like the yiddish expression to “kvell” – if I have it right, it’s a feeling as if your heart might burst from love, proudness of someone, similar positive sentiment. Anyway, it is not uncommon for me to encounter a situation where someone comes off as though they think it’s weird for me to feel that good over what they consider a relatively minor pleasure.
So what I’m wondering is, has much research been done into the physiology of joy or bliss? Is it primarily an endocrine thing? Do people vary that much in their capacity for experiencing this feeling, or is it just variation in the capacity or willingness to express it? (while I think that’s a factor, I believe it’s more than that.)
All opinions welcome, both scientific and personal/anecdotal. Thanks.