Hedonic Treadmill

Pronunciation: /hɪˈdɒnɪk ˈtrɛdmɪl/

Definitions of hedonic treadmill

noun a psychological theory that suggests that people return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes

Example Sentences

A1 The hedonic treadmill refers to the idea that people quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness after positive or negative events.

A2 Many people find themselves stuck on the hedonic treadmill, constantly chasing after material possessions in search of happiness.

B1 Psychologists study the concept of the hedonic treadmill to understand why some individuals are never satisfied with their achievements.

B2 Counselors often help clients break free from the hedonic treadmill by focusing on gratitude and mindfulness.

C1 The hedonic treadmill can lead to a cycle of never-ending consumerism, where individuals are always seeking the next big purchase to feel fulfilled.

C2 Philosophers debate the implications of the hedonic treadmill on society, questioning whether true happiness can ever be achieved through material gain.

Examples of hedonic treadmill in a Sentence

formal The concept of the hedonic treadmill suggests that individuals will adapt to new positive experiences and return to their baseline level of happiness.

informal People are always chasing after the next big thing, but they don't realize they're just stuck on the hedonic treadmill.

slang Life's like a never-ending cycle on the hedonic treadmill, always chasing happiness but never quite reaching it.

figurative Trying to find lasting happiness through material possessions is like running on a hedonic treadmill - you'll never truly get anywhere.

Grammatical Forms of hedonic treadmill

• past tense: experienced the hedonic treadmill
• plural: hedonic treadmills
• comparative: more hedonic treadmill
• superlative: most hedonic treadmill
• present tense: experiencing the hedonic treadmill
• future tense: will experience the hedonic treadmill
• perfect tense: have experienced the hedonic treadmill
• continuous tense: is experiencing the hedonic treadmill
• singular: hedonic treadmill
• positive degree: hedonic treadmill
• infinitive: to experience the hedonic treadmill
• gerund: experiencing the hedonic treadmill
• participle: experienced the hedonic treadmill

Origin and Evolution of hedonic treadmill

First Known Use: 1971 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The term 'hedonic treadmill' was coined by psychologists Brickman and Campbell in their 1971 article 'Hedonic Relativism and Planning the Good Society'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the field of psychology to describe the tendency of humans to return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events, the term has since been adopted in various disciplines to refer to the idea that as individuals experience success or failure, their expectations and desires change, leading to a continuous pursuit of happiness that may never be fully satisfied.