hedonic leveling is crap

in part, that is.

first, a definition:

hedonic leveling: the increase in happiness produced when an item is acquired diminishes soon afterward. levels returns to default-state.
lay term: taking for granted

my trip to europe reminded me of one great example of how crap this theory is: my ipod. i cannot express the enjoyment i get from my ipod, even three years after its purchase. granted, it may not be as much as during its first week of use, but it hasn't decreased significantly in the past three years.

yet it is undeniable that we become accustomed to some things. so perhaps the question really is: what characteristics distinguish items resistant to hedonic leveling? mutability and sporadic use may be two factors. i can continually add new songs, books, playlists. new features are created continually; now i can even add a feature to monitor my steps and calorie consumption. items used infrequently may also avoid leveling as one does not readily adjust to them.

and of course, i cannot end a post on hedonic leveling without saying that although certain items may experience this phenomenon, they are still creating a marked increase in our well-being. an excellent example is marriage, which has received much press re: leveling. healthcare and mass transit are other good examples. one must remember that happiness is perhaps one of the least important factors for well-being.

Labels: well being