Lyubomirsky, S. (2007). Surmounting a critical barrier to becoming happier: Hedonic adaptation to positive experience. Manuscript under review. Empirical and anecdotal evidence for hedonic adaptation suggests that the joys of loves and triumphs and the sorrows of losses and humiliations often fade with time.  The vast majority of research, however, has been conducted in the negative domain.  Consequently, conclusions about the effects and mechanisms underlying adaptation – e.g., that it is not inevitable – apply primarily to unpleasant experiences.  In this paper, I argue that hedonic adaptation to positive circumstances and events is relatively faster and more complete, and suggest several underlying mechanisms.  Furthermore, I propose that hedonic adaptation to positive experiences may be the greatest barrier to raising happiness.  The key to achieving increased and sustainable well-being thereby lies in effortful, intentional activities that prevent, slow down, or preclude the positive adaptation process.  That such practices can be successful is suggested by several types of data: first, that happiness can lastingly improve; second, that there is variability in adaptation; and third, that specific adaptation-thwarting activities can bolster happiness.  Such activities share several properties that potentially help them to effectively forestall adaptation: they are dynamic, episodic, novel, and attention-enticing. Back to Papers & Publications