Gelukkig zijn of worden kan soms een onmogelijke taak lijken. Onderzoekers Sheldon en Lyoburmirsky stelden vast dat 2 elementen belangrijk zijn in hun geluk: afwisseling en de oude wijsheid ‘gelukkig zijn met wat je hebt of krijgt’: “Previous research shows that an individual’s happiness can increase after major life changes, such as starting a new romantic relationship, but over timehappiness tends to return to a previous level. Through our research, we developed a model to help people maintain higher levels of happiness derived from beneficial changes. The model consists of two major components: the need to keep having new and positive life-changingexperiences and the need to keep appreciating what you already have and not want more too soon.”

Aankopen zijn niet noodzakelijke dergelijke levensveranderende momenten, Sheldon stelt hierover: “The problem with many purchases is that they tend to just sit there. They don’t keep on providing varied positive experiences. Also, relying on material purchases to make us happy can lead to a faster rise in aspirations, like an addiction. Hence, many purchases tend to be only quick fixes. Our model suggests ways to reduce the ‘let down’ from those purchases. For example, if you renovate your house, enjoy it and have many happy experiences in the new environment, but don’t compare your new decor to the Joneses’.” (bron)

Abstract van het onderzoek dat je hier kan downloaden:

The happiness that comes from a particular success or change in fortune abates with time. The Hedonic Adaptation Prevention (HAP) model specifies two routes by which the well-being gains derived from a positive life change are eroded—the first involving bottom-up processes (i.e., declining positive emotions generated by the positive change) and the second involving top-down processes (i.e., increased aspirations for even more positivity). The model also specifies two moderators that can forestall these processes—continued appreciation of the original life change and continued variety in change-related experiences. We formally tested the predictions of the HAP model in a 3-month three-wave longitudinal study of 476 students. Temporal path analyses and moderated regression analyses provided good support for the model.
Implications for the stability of well-being, the feasibility of “the pursuit of happiness,” and the appeal of overconsumption are discussed.