Depressed about the recession? If you are, research indicates that, unless you are directly affected by losing your job or some other dramatic loss, the downturn in your mood won’t last long. And even if you have been directly affected in a fairly dramatic way, you probably won’t remain depressed for long unless that’s your natural tendency anyway.

It turns out that, just as money can’t buy you love, it can’t buy you happiness—at least, not much, and not permanently. But even if there are a few depressed people around, they’re not as likely to have a depressive effect on others:

The reason: sorrow does not spread nearly as readily as joy. Nicholas Christakis, one of the study’s authors, says happy people form groups and socialize. Unhappy people spend more time alone, not always by choice. “Do you want to hang out with an unhappy person?” says Christakis, who teaches sociology at Harvard. “My feeling is that happiness declines during recessions, but I am not sure how much.”

[ADDENDUM: Here’s a piece on what makes for happiness—at least, according to psychology research. Turns out that some of it is genetic—about 50%, as with so many things. And other important factors are the somewhat corny and cliched, but nevertheless important, acts of counting one’s blessings, finding meaning in one’s life, and altruistic endeavors. ]