Happiness is avoiding affairs

London - Watch lots of television soaps if you want to be happy, and don't even think of having an affair

London - Watch lots of television soaps if you want to be happy, and don't even think of having an affair. After spending 11 years analysing thousands of questionnaires, Prof Michael Argyle believes he has found out what makes people happy. He told the Sunday Telegraph the key was to have one close relationship and a network of friends.

Marriage was one of the most important guarantees of happiness, especially for men, and the least happy in society were those who are divorced or separated, his research found.

Extramarital affairs brought unhappiness because of the damage they did to the marriage. "Having two people who give you support and company could be a good thing. But it rarely works out that way," the Oxford professor told the paper.

"Satisfaction and happiness do not increase with income." Prof Argyle also found people were no happier - and no sadder - than 50 years ago. But he was surprised to find that TV soap addicts were a happy bunch.