Introduction
The study of human pleasure has attracted thinkers over many centuries, especially philosophers, psychologists, and religious leaders. As studied by psychologists, the experience of pleasure brings positive reinforcement, meaning that, beginning in the biology of the nervous system, people desire more of and tend to repeat whatever makes them feel good. Religion and society see differences between good and bad pleasures, and they provide rewards (reinforcement) for good behavior, and warn people against acting on temptations (anticipated reinforcement) to repeat negative pleasurable behavior – however “good” and “negative” may be defined by different religions and cultures.
Pleasure in a standard definition is seen as the emotion or sensation induced by the enjoyment or anticipation of what is felt or viewed as good or desirable. Other experiences such as happiness, fun, enjoyment, satisfaction, gladness, well-being, delight, joy, zest, joie de vivre, and being gratified...
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Balderston, D.C. (2020). Pleasure. In: Leeming, D.A. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_200096
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24348-7_200096
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