The Nonobvious Social Psychology of Happiness

Although the idea of the hedonic treadmill has not been supported in all of its particulars (see Diener & Lucas, 2004), it still provides a fundamental insight – over time good things and bad things usually lose their power to strongly affect us. Although there are some extreme conditions that can lower our well-being, many of the good and bad events provide only short boosts and downdrafts. Receiving a raise at work, buying a new car, or winning an award are not usually the road to long-term happiness. Instead, fresh involvement in activities, relationships, and goals can be a continuous source of happiness. In this sense, the euphemism, “Happiness is a process, not a place,” seems to be accurate. This does not mean that our circumstances have no influence whatsoever on our happiness; they do. Rather it means that we should not rely on circumstances alone to give us long-term feelings of well-being. Continued involvement in new goals, meaningful social interactions, and interesting activities is required to maintain a flourishing sense of happiness (Lyubomirsky, Sheldon, & Schkade, in press).