Eudaimonic happiness and hedonic happiness

Wellbeing is a complex construct that refers to optimal experience and functioning. Current research on well-being has been derived from two general perspectives: eudamonic happiness and hedonic happiness.

The hedonic approach defines well-being in terms of the achievement of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. The eudaimonic approach focuses on self-actualization and defines well-being in terms of the degree to which a person is functioning fully.

Nevertheless, They differ in that eudaimonic happiness is associated with greater activity of the prefrontal cortex. An area associated with higher functions, behavioral planning and decision making; while, with hedonics, the opposite occurs.

Thus, Eudaimonic happiness is projected in the long term and appears when we honestly help others. He is also interested in how to educate your children in the best possible way or do charitable work in the city. Hedonics is based on the pleasure you get from things, such as sex, eating or sleeping.

These two points of view have given rise to different research focuses and a set of knowledge that is divergent in some areas and complementary in others.

Hedonic and eudaimonic happiness

Happiness can be defined in many ways. In psychology, there are two popular conceptions of happiness: hedonic and eudaimonic. Both types of happiness are achieved and contribute to overall well-being in different ways.

Key aspects

Psychologists conceive of happiness in two different ways: hedonic happiness, or pleasure and enjoyment, and eudaimonic happiness, or meaning and purpose. Some psychologists defend a hedonic or eudaimonic idea of ​​happiness. However, Most agree that people require both hedony and eudaimonia to flourish.Hedonic adaptation states that people have a set point of happiness that they return to regardless of what is happening in their lives.

Research on hedonic happiness and eudaimonic happiness

While some researchers who study happiness come from a purely hedonic or purely eudaimonic point of view, many agree that Both types of happiness orientation add up when it comes to maximizing well-being..

For example, in a study of hedonic and eudaimonic behaviors, Henderson and colleagues found that hedonic behaviors increased positive emotions and life satisfaction and helped regulate emotions, while reducing negative emotions, stress, and depression. depression.

hedonic adaptation

While eudaimonic and hedonic happiness appear to serve a purpose in overall well-being, hedonic adaptation, also known as the “hedonic treadmill,” notes that people generally have a baseline of happiness to which they return. no matter what happens in their lives.

Therefore, despite peaks in pleasure and enjoyment when one has a hedonic experience, such as going to a party, eating a delicious meal, or winning a prize, The novelty soon wears off and people return to their typical levels of happiness.

The Happiness Adjustment Point

Psychological research has shown that we all have a happiness set point. Psychologist Sonya Lyubomirsky has outlined the three components that contribute to that set point and how much each one matters. According to her calculations:

50% of an individual’s happiness set point is determined by genetics. Another 10% is the result of circumstances outside of our control, such as where they are born and who their parents are. Finally, 40% of your happiness set point is under your control. Therefore, while we can determine how happy we are to some extent, more than half of our happiness is determined by things we cannot change.

Hedonic adaptation is more likely to occur when one engages in fleeting pleasures. This type of enjoyment can improve the mood, but this is only temporary.

One way to not lose the ground you have gained is to engage in more eudaimonic activities. Meaningful activities such as engaging in hobbies require more thought and effort than hedonic activities, which require little or no effort to enjoy.

However, while hedonic activities become less effective at evoking happiness over time, eudaimonic activities become more effective.

The path to happiness

These studies show that Having a purpose in life and moving through it with a positive story reinforce our welfare. This can make it seem like the path to happiness is eudaimonia. However, sometimes it is practical to engage in activities that evoke hedonic happiness.

If you’re feeling sad or stressed, often enjoying a simple hedonic pleasure, like eating your favorite dessert, can be a quick pick-me-up to snap you out of a certain mood. Obviously, it requires much less effort than engaging in a eudaimonic activity. Therefore, both eudaimonia and hedonia can complement each other in favor of our general well-being.

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