Regardless of the decisions they make as a result of being 10 times wealthier, sensitization to such a considerable income increase is inevitable.Ĭontroversy Surrounding Hedonic Adaptation This person who is 10 times richer may now begin to look at investing, depositing more money into savings, and perhaps upgrading their lifestyle.
Naturally, they will have to become used to (or sensitized) to such a considerable income upsurge. Now imagine that their income increases by 10 times that amount, and the same individual now earns $500,000 per year. Every living person has become sensitized to a certain situation or occurrence, whether they realize it or not.įor instance, think of a hypothetical person who is used to earning $50,000 on an annual basis. At its worst, sensitization can become conditioning, although in many cases, sensitization is not negative. Sensitization, in layman's terms, means getting used to something we were not previously accustomed to. When an individual is sensitized to a certain situation, they have notable emotional increases or decreases. In many ways, this state of being is the polar opposite of desensitization. Last but not least of the three hedonic adaptation elements is sensitization. In most cases, desensitization is rarely to be desired. Meanwhile, an individual used to cleanliness would likely be repulsed and appalled by such living conditions. Habitual exposure to something often breeds desensitization, and more often than not, this state of being is frowned upon.Ī person who frequently lives in filth or squalor may become desensitized to crime, bug infestations, or other unclean accommodations. When an individual becomes desensitized to a circumstance or situation, they no longer have the same outlook or reactions that another person might exhibit in the same situation. As the old saying goes, you can have too much of a good thing. This is the epitome of how shifting adaptation levels operate within hedonic adaptation. However, when she secures yet another new client, the freelance writer experiences the same joyful sensation as before. This is an excellent step forward in her career, and her income will increase as a result.Įven though securing the new client brought her joy, over time, the high level of excitement wears off, and the writer reverts to her "baseline of happiness" as she completes the work assigned to her. When a new client hires the writer, she experiences a surge of joy and pleasure. Imagine a freelance writer who pours her heart and soul into her career and is always working to get new clients. The following example can help explain this phenomenon. Shifting adaptation levels are when the individual at hand experiences a slight emotional high or low and then returns to their default "set level of happiness." However, whenever the person is exposed to the situation that prompted their emotional increase or decrease, they will still experience the same high or low. Each of these elements plays a key role in hedonic adaptation. The tendency contains three elements: shifting adaptation levels, desensitization, and sensitization. Behavioral Economics moreover states that due to each person's "baseline" (or set level) of happiness, less eventful experiences have more of an impact on one's emotional state, rather than extreme life occurrences, be they for better or for worse. The Antecedent Behavior Consequence Model is another tool that can help identify behaviors you want to change that are linked to any negative emotions that may interfere with happiness states.ĭissecting The Process Of Hedonic AdaptationĪlthough hedonic adaptation may appear simplistic, it is more complex than some people might realize. The excitement or unhappiness that follows certain life events is believed to wear off over time, thus returning each person to their "default" emotional state. Hedonic adaptation maintains that over time, people become used to certain changes in their lives.
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