Experiencing purpose and meaning based on what we do
RESEARCH BRIEF
Aristotle was interested in exploring happiness and how we should live. He differentiated hedonia, the pursuit of pleasure, from eudaimonia (pronounced YOU-day-mow-knee-ah, in case you want to impress your friends), the pursuit of virtue and meaningful goals that are congruent with one’s true self and a worthwhile life. Nowadays, the term eudaimonia is used interchangeably with the word flourishing.
Research question: Does the type of activity we perform (eudaimonic versus hedonic) during the day matter in terms of how we feel about the meaning of and satisfaction with our lives?
How researchers studied this question: Based on the scientific and philosophical literature, researchers developed a list of 46 everyday activities and behaviors that experts then characterized as eudaimonic (e.g., volunteered my time, expressed gratitude for something someone did for me, persevered at a valued goal) or hedonic (e.g., got drunk, bought a new piece of jewelry or electronics just for myself, went to a big party). Sixty-five undergraduate students completed self-report questionnaires related to meaning in life, satisfaction with life, and positive/negative affect at baseline and then 22 days later. In between, they completed an online survey every day for 3 weeks in which they indicated whether or not they performed any of the 46 activities or behaviors and answered brief questions about daily meaning, satisfaction, and affect.
Answer: Yes. The more that a study participant reported engaging in eudaimonic activities or behaviors, the greater meaning in life, life satisfaction, and positive affect that they experienced (in other words, the greater their well-being). Hedonic activities and behaviors did not influence well-being.
So What? It makes sense that a happy life is composed of both hedonic and eudaimonic activities. A meaningful and satisfying life, however, seems to depend on the extent to which we engage in eudaimonic activities, using our time in ways that emphasize virtue and the pursuit of goals that are meaningful and authentic to who we are. If we want to experience our lives as having purpose and meaning, we must choose to incorporate eudaimonic activities and behaviors into our day. The authors so beautifully put it this way: “Chocolate cake from a vending machine can please us but chocolate cake from a spouse or a child can elevate us” (p. 36).
How about you? What are the eudaimonic activities or behaviors that, when performed, make your heart and soul soar? What are some ways you can do them more often?
Sources:
Steger MF, Kashdan TB, & Oishi S (2008). Being good by doing good: Daily eudaimonic activity and well-being. Journal of Research in Personality, 42 (1), 22-42.
Find the abstract here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656607000396