Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Pursuing Eudaimonic Functioning Versus Pursuing Hedonic Well-Being: The First Goal Succeeds in Its Aim, Whereas the Second Does Not

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Happiness Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We used a new methodology for assessing change motivation (Hudson and Fraley 2015, 2016) to test the hypothesis that striving to improve one’s hedonic well-being fails in its aim, whereas striving to improve one’s eudaimonic functioning succeeds. In three studies, participant goals to increase subjective well-being (SWB) were negatively correlated with concurrent SWB, whereas goals to increase relative intrinsic versus extrinsic value orientation (RIEVO) were positively correlated with concurrent RIEVO. In Study 3’s longitudinal investigation, Time 1 RIEVO change goals predicted increased RIEVO six and 12 weeks later, whereas Time 1 SWB change goals did not affect longitudinal SWB. Together, the data support the Aristotelian idea that people should pursue eudaimonia rather than happiness, not least because the latter pursuit may not be as effective.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Busseri, M. A. (2015). Toward a resolution of the tripartite structure of subjective well-being. Journal of Personality, 83(4), 413–428.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Busseri, M. A., & Sadava, S. W. (2013). Subjective well-being as a dynamic and agentic system: Evidence from a longitudinal study. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(4), 1085–1112.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. (1994). Assessing subjective well-being: Progress and opportunities. Social Indicators Research, 31(2), 103–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E. D., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A. (1991). Personal strivings, daily life events, and psychological and physical well-being. Journal of Personality, 59(3), 453–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A. (1992). Abstract versus concrete goals: Personal striving level, physical illness, and psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62(2), 292–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ferguson, Y. L., & Sheldon, K. M. (2013). Trying to be happier really can work: Two experimental studies. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(1), 23–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, D. (2006). Stumbling on happiness. New York, NY: A.A. Knopf.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, N. W., & Fraley, R. C. (2015). Volitional personality trait change: Can people choose to change their personality traits? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 109(3), 490–507.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, N. W., & Fraley, R. C. (2016). Changing for the Better? Longitudinal associations between volitional personality change and psychological well-being. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42(5), 603–615.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huta, V. (2013). Pursuing eudaimonia versus hedonia: Distinctions, similarities, and relationships. In A. Waterman (Ed.), The best within us: Positive psychology perspectives on eudaimonic functioning (pp. 139–158). Washington, DC: APA Books.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Huta, V., & Ryan, R. M. (2010). Pursuing pleasure or virtue: The differential and overlapping well-being benefits of hedonic and eudaimonic motives. Journal of Happiness Studies, 11(6), 735–762.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huta, V., & Waterman, A. S. (2014). Eudaimonia and its distinction from hedonia: Developing a classification and terminology for understanding conceptual and operational definitions. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(6), 1425–1456.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasser, T. (2002). Sketches for a self-determination theory of values. In E. L. Deci & R. M. Ryan (Eds.), Handbook of self-determination research (pp. 123–140). Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1993). A dark side of the American dream: Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65(2), 410–422.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1996). Further examining the American dream: Differential correlates of intrinsic and extrinsic goals. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22(3), 280–287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keyes, C. L. M., Shmotkin, D., & Ryff, C. D. (2002). Optimizing well-being: The empirical encounter of two traditions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82, 1007–1022.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, R. S. (2003). Does the positive psychology movement have legs? Psychological Inquiry, 14(2), 93–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). The how of happiness: A scientific approach to getting the life you want. New York, NY: Penguin Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., King, L., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin, 131(6), 803–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and personality. New York, NY: Harper.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mauss, I. B., Tamir, M., Anderson, C. L., & Savino, N. S. (2011). Can seeking happiness make people unhappy?Paradoxical effects of valuing happiness. Emotion, 11(4), 807–815.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niemiec, C. P., Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2009). The path taken: Consequences of attaining intrinsic and extrinsic aspirations in post-college life. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(3), 291–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, P., Park, N., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction: The full life versus the empty life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6, 25–41.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. In S. Fiske (Ed.), Annual review of psychology (Vol. 52, pp. 141–166). Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., Huta, V., & Deci, E. L. (2013). Living well: A self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia. In A. Delle Fave (Ed.), The exploration of happiness (pp. 117–139). Netherlands: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well- being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schooler, J. W., Ariely, D., & Loewenstein, G. (2003). The pursuit and assessment of happiness can be self-defeating. In I. Brocas & J. D. Carillo (Eds.), The psychology of economic decisions (pp. 41–70). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M. (2011) Integrating behavioral-motive and experiential-requirement perspectives on psychological needs: A two process model. Psychological Review, 118(4), 552–569.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M. (in press).  The concept of “Eudaimonic Well-Being” in psychological research: Some problems, and a possible solution. In J. Forgas & R. Baumeister (Eds.), The social psychology of the good life.

  • Sheldon, K. M., Arndt, J., & Houser-Marko, L. (2003). In search of the organismic valuing process: The human tendency to move towards beneficial goal choices. Journal of Personality, 71(5), 835–869.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., & Elliot, A. J. (1999). Goal striving, need satisfaction, and longitudinal well-being: the self- concordance model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(3), 482–497.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., & Kasser, T. (2008). Psychological threat and extrinsic goal striving. Motivation and Emotion, 32(1), 37–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., & Krieger, L. S. (2014). Walking the talk: Value importance, value enactment, and well- being. Motivation and Emotion, 38(5), 609–619.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K. M., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2012). The challenge of staying happier testing the hedonic adaptation prevention model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(5), 670–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheldon, K.M., Prentice, M., Halusic, M., & Osin, E.N. (2017). Rightly crossing the Rubicon: Evaluating goal self-concordance prior to selection helps people choose more intrinsic goals. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Van Tongeren, D. R., & Burnette, J. L. (2018). Do you believe happiness can change? An investigation of the relationship between happiness mindsets, well-being, and satisfaction. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(2), 101–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Zyl, L. E., & Rothmann, S. (2014). Towards happiness interventions: Construct clarification and intervention methodologies. Journal of Psychology in Africa, 24(4), 327–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitterso, J. (2016). Handbook of eudaimonic well-being. Switzerland: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Waterman, A. S. (1993). Two conceptions of happiness: Contrasts of personal expressiveness (eudaimonia) and hedonic enjoyment. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(4), 678–691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., Clark, L. A., & Tellegen, A. (1988). Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: The PANAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(6), 1063–1070.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, T. D., & Gilbert, D. T. (2003). Affective forecasting. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 35, 345–411.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Laboratory of Positive Psychology of Personality and Motivation, National Research University Higher School of Economics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

    Kennon M. Sheldon

  2. University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

    Mike Corcoran

  3. Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Mike Prentice

Authors
  1. Kennon M. Sheldon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mike Corcoran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mike Prentice
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mike Corcoran.

Additional information

This article was prepared within the framework of the Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE) and supported within the framework of a subsidy by the Russian Academic Excellence Project ‘5-100’.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sheldon, K.M., Corcoran, M. & Prentice, M. Pursuing Eudaimonic Functioning Versus Pursuing Hedonic Well-Being: The First Goal Succeeds in Its Aim, Whereas the Second Does Not. J Happiness Stud 20, 919–933 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9980-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9980-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation