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Beyond the Hedonic Treadmill: Revising the Adaptation Theory of Well-Being

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The Science of Well-Being

Part of the book series: Social Indicators Research Series ((SINS,volume 37))

Abstract

According to the hedonic treadmill model, good and bad events temporarily affect happiness, but people quickly adapt back to hedonic neutrality. The theory, which has gained widespread acceptance in recent years, implies that individual and societal efforts to increase happiness are doomed to failure. The recent empirical work outlined here indicates that 5 important revisions to the treadmill model are needed. First, individuals’ set points are not hedonically neutral. Second, people have different set points, which are partly dependent on their temperaments. Third, a single person may have multiple happiness set points: Different components of well-being such as pleasant emotions, unpleasant emotions, and life satisfaction can move in different directions. Fourth, and perhaps most important, well-being set points can change under some conditions. Finally, individuals differ in their adaptation to events, with some individuals changing their set point and others not changing in reaction to some external event. These revisions offer hope for psychologists and policymakers who aim to decrease human misery and increase happiness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA

    Ed Diener

  2. Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA

    Richard E. Lucas

  3. School of Social Sciences, Singapore Management University, Singapore, 178903

    Christie Napa Scollon

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  1. Ed Diener
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  2. Richard E. Lucas
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  3. Christie Napa Scollon
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Psychology, University of Illinois, 603 E. Daniel St, Champaign, IL 61820, USA

    Ed Diener

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Diener, E., Lucas, R.E., Scollon, C.N. (2009). Beyond the Hedonic Treadmill: Revising the Adaptation Theory of Well-Being . In: Diener, E. (eds) The Science of Well-Being. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 37. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2350-6_5

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