When Do Hedonic and Eudaimonic Orientations Lead to Happiness? Moderating Effects of Orientation Priority

Abstract

The effects of hedonic and eudaimonic orientations on individual well-being have received much scholarly attention. However, the empirical findings from previous research are not consistent, raising the question of when the pursuit of hedonia and eudaimonia lead to actual improvements in individual well-being. We argue that the relationship between orientations to happiness and well-being outcomes are moderated by orientation priorities, which reflect the relative level of importance individuals place on eudaimonic motives compared to hedonic motives. A total of 312 Chinese undergraduate students completed surveys assessing hedonic and eudaimonic orientations, orientation priorities, and well-being outcomes, including psychological well-being, positive affect, and negative affect. The results revealed that a eudaimonic orientation was positively related to psychological well-being, a hedonic orientation was positively related to positive affect, and both relationships were moderated by orientation priorities. For individuals who prioritized eudaimonia over hedonia, both orientations improved well-being. For individuals who prioritized hedonia over eudaimonia, the benefits related to well-being from both orientations decreased or disappeared. These findings suggest that orientation priorities are of equal importance in regard to hedonic and eudaimonic orientations.

Associations of hedonic and eudaimonic orientations with subjective experience and objective functioning in academic settings: The mediating roles of academic behavioral engagement and procrastination

“…The full life hypothesis ( Peterson et al, 2005 ; Huta and Ryan, 2010 ), which posits that both pursuing hedonia and eudaimonia are related to an increase in actual well-being, was not fully supported in the current study. Instead, in accordance with some recent studies ( Sheldon et al, 2019 ; Lin and Chan, 2020 ; Chen and Zeng, 2021 ), our findings suggested that the pursuit of hedonia could be related to a decrease in individuals’ well-being. More importantly, this study expands previous research by extending the negative outcomes of hedonia from subjective experience to objective functioning.…”

“…For instance, Klipker et al (2017) found that when confronted with daily hassles, hedonic orientation was negatively related to affective well-being in adolescents with low cognitive control; however, for adolescents with high cognitive control, strong hedonic orientation was related to improved affective well-being. In another study, Chen and Zeng (2021) demonstrated the moderating role of orientation priority. This refers to the relative importance placed on eudaimonic goals over hedonic ones, in the relationship between happiness orientation and individual well-being.…”

Development in Electric Vehicle Intention and Adoption: Integrating the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Religiosity

“…Hedonic Motive refers to the enjoyment or pleasure of customers derived from using technology (Venkatesh et al, 2012). The hedonic motive is meant to seek pleasure and comfort (Chen & Zeng, 2022). It shows a willingness to initiate behaviors that result in improved positive experiences or decreased negative experiences (Kaczmarek, 2017).…”