Sensory experiences - those that make you happy because they involve good physical sensations - and intensely emotional experiences both tend to be less durable than other satisfactions. Why some events are more prone to hedonic adaptation than others So, what makes an event more likely to lead to long-term happiness instead of effervescent pleasure? The pleasure or loss of pleasure can cause a long-term (possibly even permanent) change in personal happiness. People who divorce or are widowed are likely to be less happy for a long time afterward (again, generally speaking). Researchers also point out that some life experiences do, in fact, tend to promote lifelong shifts in emotional states.īroadly speaking, people who marry are likely to be happier over time than those who don’t. These measures are often open to individual interpretations. Many studies use surveys, interviews, and subjective scales to account for personal happiness. But some experts would add a note of caution.įor one thing, the definition of “happiness” is notoriously hazy, as is the definition of well-being, making it hard to compare studies - and human beings, for that matter. Some psychologists say as much as 50 percent of your capacity for happiness is inherited. The hedonic treadmill is based on the idea that people generally return to a level of happiness that’s consistent with their personality and genetics.
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