Richard E. Lucas Reading #10 Adaptation and the Set-Point Model of Subjective well being -Does Happiness Change after major life events? Richard E. Lucas Reading #10

Overview of Theory Hedonic Adaptation -individuals return to a baseline level of happiness following a change in life circumstances Dominant SWB models -people can adapt and fluctuate around a pre-determined set-point ~due to inborn personality factors Lykken and Tellegan (1996) -heritability of about 80%

Support for S.P theory.. WHY DO WE ADAPT? Fredrickson & Loewenstein (1999) -buffer from potential psychological and physiological danger Attention shifts -novel environmental change Goal Adaptation -Wrosch et al (2003) -disengagement and re-engagement

Support for S.P theory.. INDIRECT EVIDENCE FROM PERSONALITY RESEARCH Three relevant areas: 1. Stability -30-40% for upto 20 years 2. Heritability -L&T: 80% but probably closer to 40-50% 3. Personality Variables -Predictive power of these, especially E and N ~suggest an inevitable return to genetically determined S.P

Problems with this research.. Brickman et al. (1978) Often cited as direct evidence for hedonic adaptation 3 groups: 1. Lottery Winners 2. Spinal-Cord Injured 3. Controls Found Evidence for adaptation BUT SC still significantly less happier than control (78%)  Dijkers (1997) -supports the difference between the groups

Problems with this research.. Tyc (1992) -cause of event plays a role Not Longitudinal Very few are Prospective -don’t know happiness level before event  Lyubomirsky et al. (paper 7) Demand Characteristics -over/under report levels  Smith et al. (2006) - lower LS in Parkinson’s patients if focus

Evidence against S.P. Theory THIS PAPER GSEOP (German Socioeconomic Panel Study) -40,000 assessed yearly for up to 21 years BHPS (British Household Panel Study) -27, 000 assessed yearly for up to 14 years Longitudinal Prospective Large Sample Controlled for demand Charecteristics

Evidence against S.P. Theory: THIS PAPER Three Key Findings: LT SWB does change [see graph 1] Large Individual Differences -can calculate within-person change 3. People who will and won’t experience major life events will differ before event occurs eg. marriage data: ½ selection effects ½ lasting post-divorce changes [see graph 2]

Graph 1 Graph 2

Limitations of paper Limited set of variables Focus on Major life events Fairly Short, Theory based paper ? Methodology BUT identifies 3 clear and useful research goals..

…Research Goals Cataloguing event types eg: Frederick and Loewenstein (1999) -one-time vs. LT events Insight into processes ? Psychological eg. Goals; skills ? Physiological: emotional reactivity Identify Individual Differences esp. personality variables eg. That lead to resilience

CONCLUSIONS Happiness levels do change Adaptation is not inevitable Life events do matter Adaptation occurs in response to major life-events NB. Not refuting S.P theory Need to place empirical findings in broader context - happiness levels moderately stable but refute idea of inevitable, automatic change

Further Reading Diener et al. (2005): paper 8 -looks at 5 revisions of the hedonic treadmill Sheldon and Lyubomirsky (2006) Journal of Happiness studies, 7: 55-86 -importance of activity over circumstantial change Weiss et al. (2008) Psychological Science,19(3): 205-210 -973 twins to asses if heritable SWB difference accounted for by genetic architecture of 5fm -genetic effects of personality may affect rate WB returns to the S.P + extent of S.P lasting change + possibility of an “affective reserve”