What Does Lasting Happiness Depend On? Neither Rising Prosperity nor Severe Misfortune Permanently Affect Happiness Research implies that neither rising prosperity nor severe misfortune permanently affect happiness. After a period of adjustment, individuals return to their baseline levels of well-being, leaving humanity on a ‘‘hedonic treadmill’’ (Brickman & Campbell, 1981; Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999; Kahneman, Krueger, Schkade, Schwartz, & Stone, 2004). Similarly, as entire countries become richer, relative gains and losses neutralize each other across populations, bringing no overall increase in the happiness of their citizens (Easterlin, 1974; Kenny, 2004). Neither Individual Efforts nor Social Policy Can Bring Lasting Changes in Happiness Insofar as this set point is biologically determined, neither individual efforts nor social policy can bring lasting changes in happiness. Happiness Depends on Popularly Accepted Social Norms Another explanation for the apparent stability of the aggregate happiness of nations is social comparison theory (Easterlin, 1974, 2003). According to this account, happiness stays the same in the face of rising income because of a shift in reference. If happiness is shaped by one’s relative position in a society, then even if a nation’s overall economy grows, only those with above-average gains will experience rising happiness, and these increases will be offset by decreases among those with below-average gains. –Ronald Inglehart, Roberto Foa, Christopher Peterson, and Christian Welzel, “Development, Freedom, and Rising Happiness A Global Perspective” (1981–2007). The Functions of Happiness and Dissatisfaction Happiness Is Functional and Generally Leads to Success Recent research indicates that happiness is functional and generally leads to success. All Organisms are Motivated to Approach Things that Bring...
