Sign up for the Science of Happiness experiment, run by Richard Wiseman, professor of the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. It starts on Monday, and it involves a brief survey, watching one of four YouTube videos describing a happiness-boosting technique, performing that technique during the week, and then taking a short follow-up survey. Since happiness is thought to be contagious, the hope is that the experiment will improve the moods of not just the participants but also those around them.

Here’s Wiseman’s pitch:

I have carried out many mass participation studies, but this is the most important. We are in the midst of a recession and it is vital that people keep their spirits high. This study will help identify the most effective way of putting a smile on someone’s face. We need as many people as possible to take part. It doesn’t matter whether you are young or old, male or female, or where in the world you live, please participate.