Hedonism leads to happiness

Date:
July 27, 2020
Source:
University of Zurich
Summary:
Relaxing on the sofa or savoring a delicious meal: Enjoying
short-term pleasurable activities that don't lead to long-term
goals contributes at least as much to a happy life as self-control,
according to new research.

The researchers therefore argue for a greater appreciation of
hedonism in psychology.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Relaxing on the sofa or savoring a delicious meal: Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities that don't lead to long-term goals contributes
at least as much to a happy life as self-control, according to new
research from the University of Zurich and Radboud University in the Netherlands. The researchers therefore argue for a greater appreciation
of hedonism in psychology.


==========================================================================
We all set ourselves long-term goals from time to time, such as
finally getting into shape, eating less sugar or learning a foreign
language. Research has devoted much time to finding out how we can reach
these goals more effectively.

The prevailing view is that self-control helps us prioritize long-term
goals over momentary pleasure and that if you are good at self-control,
this will usually result in a happier and more successful life.

"It's time for a rethink," says Katharina Bernecker, researcher
in motivational psychology at the University of Zurich. "Of course
self-control is important, but research on self-regulation should pay just
as much attention to hedonism, or short-term pleasure." That's because Bernecker's new research shows that people's capacity to experience
pleasure or enjoyment contributes at least as much to a happy and
satisfied life as successful self-control.

Distraction disrupts pleasure Bernecker and her colleague Daniela Becker
of Radboud University developed a questionnaire to measure respondents' capacity for hedonism, i.e. their ability to focus on their immediate
needs and indulge in and enjoy short-term pleasures. They used the questionnaire to find out whether people differ in their capacity to
pursue hedonic goals in a variety of contexts, and whether this ability
is related to well-being.

They found that certain people get distracted by intrusive thoughts
in moments of relaxation or enjoyment by thinking about activities or
tasks that they should be doing instead. "For example, when lying on
the couch you might keep thinking of the sport you are not doing," says
Becker. "Those thoughts about conflicting long-term goals undermine the immediate need to relax." On the other hand, people who can fully enjoy themselves in those situations tend to have a higher sense of well-being
in general, not only in the short term, and are less likely to suffer
from depression and anxiety, among other things.

More isn't always better "The pursuit of hedonic and long-term goals
needn't be in conflict with one another," says Bernecker. "Our research
shows that both are important and can complement each other in achieving well-being and good health. It is important to find the right balance in everyday life." Unfortunately, simply sitting about more on the sofa,
eating more good food and going to the pub with friends more often
won't automatically make for more happiness. "It was always thought
that hedonism, as opposed to self-control, was the easier option," says Bernecker. "But really enjoying one's hedonic choice isn't actually
that simple for everybody because of those distracting thoughts."
Conscious planning of downtime This is currently a topical issue with
more people working from home, as the environment where they normally
rest is suddenly associated with work.

"Thinking of the work you still need to do can lead to more distracting thoughts at home, making you less able to rest," says Bernecker.

So what can you do to enjoy your downtime more? More research is needed,
but the researchers suspect that consciously planning and setting limits
to periods of enjoyment could help to separate them more clearly from
other activities, allowing pleasure to take place more undisturbed.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Zurich. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Katharina Bernecker, Daniela Becker. Beyond Self-Control:
Mechanisms of
Hedonic Goal Pursuit and Its Relevance for Well-Being. Personality
and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2020; 014616722094199 DOI: 10.1177/
0146167220941998 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200727114739.htm

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