Hedonic Adaptation Or Hedonic Treadmill: What Is It, Examples, And More

Hedonic adaptation or hedonic treadmill is a psychological concept proposed by positive psychologists and other researchers who are concerned with happiness and the improvement of well-being.

In short, hedonic adaptation or hedonic treadmill refers to a general tendency to return to a state of joy after an event or series of ups and downs. Do you know why hedonic treadmill is also used to refer to hedonic adaptation?

Because it’s a never-ending cycle and we always end up from where we start. In psychology, this phenomenon defines how people can become insensitive to new stimuli and how quickly they can adjust themselves to an emotional starting point. This means that the intensity of the stimulus must be so strong that it lasts for a longer time.

In short, the stimuli must be strong enough to feel the effects for a longer time. In this blog, we will understand what hedonic adaptation or hedonic treadmill is. Let’s get started!

What is Hedonic Adaptation or Hedonic Treadmill?

Let’s start by decoding the term hedonic. The term “hedonic” is used to describe a feeling of pleasure or displeasure gained by an experience. Meanwhile, hedonism is a concept of psychology and philosophy that states “hedonism is a pleasure or the avoidance of pain which is the main motivator of human emotions or behaviors. Now, people often relate hedonic adaptation with similar terms such as:

Hedonic consumption: Hedonic consumption is used to describe pleasure when people purchase goods or services after meeting their basic needs.

Hedonic value: Hedonic value is used to describe a pleasure derived from a personal value.

Here’s how the cycle of hedonic adaptation works…

Suppose you bought a new car which provided you an instant pleasure (Hedonic Consumption. The car provides you comfort and enjoyment (Hedonic Value). But, over time, you might no longer feel additional enjoyment or comfort like you did before buying the car (Hedonic Adaptation). The other common examples of Hedonic Adaptation can be:

• Winning a lottery and returning to the same level of happiness
• Going through a major accident and returning to the same level of happiness after the recovery period
• Trying out new cuisine and returning to the same level of state after trying the same cuisine for the 5^th or 6^th
• Having the same meal for a whole week can feel less Similarly, listening to a favorite song, drinking tea, and breathing fresh flowers cannot feel the same every time.

How to Lessen Hedonic Adaptation?

Ups and downs are a part of life so is hedonic adaptation. The fact is that when we are aware of the never-ending cycle of hedonic adaptation, we are more able to work through the downs of our lives and engage in activities that help us break the effects of the hedonic treadmill.

I hope this blog helps you understand the psychology of hedonic adaptation. For more such content, connect with us through social media.

Thanks for reading!