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Analysis of the happiness of the celebrity Twitterati may be used as the basis for a sociological study into the emotional factors behind complex social issues such as alcoholism, heart disease and drug dependency, according to researchers at Edinburgh University.

The study analysed the Twitter content of 13 celebrity feeds for words signifying emotions such as anticipation, happiness, surprise, anger and disgust.

On the face of it, the research has revealed basketball player Shaquille O'Neale the chirpiest star tweeter and rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg the least happy. Others ranking amongst the cheerful celebrities are sportsmen, Lance Armstrong and Andy Murray, comedians Russell Brand and John Cleese, and BBC TV presenter, Jonathan Ross.

Snoop Dogg and Boris Johnson seem less carried away by Twitter joy, forming an unlikely pairing at the bottom of the happiness table.

Politicians tended only to demonstrate passion on a single issue, with Obama and Schwarzenegger devoted to healthcare and Al Gore committed to combating climate change.

However entertaining, Ed Cochrane, a researcher at The University of Edinburgh Business School, insists 'there is a serious point to this research'.

Social and health problems such as alcoholism, drug dependency and obesity have been suggested to have a common emotional basis. Researchers believe technology such as Twitter may provide an instrument for identifying the regional dispersal of certain underlying emotional factors. Findings could then be used to influence social policy in black spots like Glasgow, where the average life expectancy is lower than in the rest of the UK.

Cochrane noted: 'We hope this type of analysis will shed light on the emotions involved in real social situations, helping to shape policy for the better.'

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