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Age and Gender Differences in Eudaimonic, Hedonic, and Extrinsic Motivations

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  • Andrea LeFebvre

    (University of Ottawa)

  • Veronika Huta

    (University of Ottawa)

Abstract

This study assessed adults’ motivations in the pursuit of well-being at different ages across the adult lifespan, examining females and males separately. We studied four major well-being motivations: eudaimonic motivation (seeking meaning, authenticity, excellence, and growth), hedonic pleasure motivation (seeking pleasure, enjoyment, and fun), hedonic comfort motivation (seeking comfort, relaxation, ease, and painlessness) and extrinsic motivation (seeking money, power, status, popularity, and image). A sample of 1324 North American adults, aged 18–87, was stratified to ensure sufficient sample sizes at different age ranges and to ensure sufficient numbers of males and females within each age range. Participants completed the Hedonic, Eudaimonic, and Extrinsic Motives for Activities (HEEMA) scale, an updated version of the HEMA scale originally developed by Huta and Ryan (J Happiness Studi 11:735–762, 2010). For females, eudaimonic motivation increased until the 30s and did not change significantly thereafter; for males, eudaimonic motivation decreased from the 30s to the 40s, but then increased from the 40s to the 60s. For both genders, hedonic pleasure motivation decreased from the 30s onwards, though males scored significantly higher than females in the 20s. There was not much change in hedonic comfort motivation, except that it decreased from the 30s to the 50s in males. For both genders, extrinsic motivation decreased to the 60s, though males scored higher than females in the 20s and 30s. The results are interpreted in terms of gender roles, developmental theories, and biological changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea LeFebvre & Veronika Huta, 2021. "Age and Gender Differences in Eudaimonic, Hedonic, and Extrinsic Motivations," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 2299-2321, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:22:y:2021:i:5:d:10.1007_s10902-020-00319-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-020-00319-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christopher Peterson & Nansook Park & Martin Seligman, 2005. "Orientations to happiness and life satisfaction: the full life versus the empty life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 25-41, March.
    2. Veronika Huta & Alan Waterman, 2014. "Eudaimonia and Its Distinction from Hedonia: Developing a Classification and Terminology for Understanding Conceptual and Operational Definitions," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(6), pages 1425-1456, December.
    3. Thomas Dietz & Linda Kalof & Paul C. Stern, 2002. "Gender, Values, and Environmentalism," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 83(1), pages 353-364, March.
    4. Veronika Huta & Richard Ryan, 2010. "Pursuing Pleasure or Virtue: The Differential and Overlapping Well-Being Benefits of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 11(6), pages 735-762, December.
    5. María Luisa Martínez-Martí & Willibald Ruch, 2017. "The Relationship Between Orientations to Happiness and Job Satisfaction One Year Later in a Representative Sample of Employees in Switzerland," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 1-15, February.
    6. Fabian Gander & René T. Proyer & Willibald Ruch, 2017. "The Subjective Assessment of Accomplishment and Positive Relationships: Initial Validation and Correlative and Experimental Evidence for Their Association with Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 743-764, June.
    7. Jack Bauer & Dan McAdams & Jennifer Pals, 2008. "Narrative identity and eudaimonic well-being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 81-104, January.
    8. Carol Ryff & Burton Singer, 2008. "Know Thyself and Become What You Are: A Eudaimonic Approach to Psychological Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 13-39, January.
    9. Guo-Hai Chen, 2010. "Validating the Orientations to Happiness Scale in a Chinese Sample of University Students," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 99(3), pages 431-442, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Courtney A. Gosselin & Veronika Huta & Arthur Braaten, 2022. "Eudaimonic Orientation Enhances the Well-Being Experienced by Fathers," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 2117-2138, August.
    2. Sjoerd Halem & Eeske Roekel & Jaap Denissen, 2024. "Understanding the Dynamics of Hedonic and Eudaimonic Motives on Daily Well-Being: Insights from Experience Sampling Data," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 1-25, October.
    3. Johannes Alfons Karl & Paul Verhaeghen & Shelley N. Aikman & Stian Solem & Espen R. Lassen & Ronald Fischer, 2022. "Misunderstood Stoicism: The negative Association Between Stoic Ideology and well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3531-3547, October.
    4. Hezhi Chen & Zhijia Zeng, 2023. "Seeking Pleasure is Good, but Avoiding Pain is Bad: Distinguishing Hedonic Approach from Hedonic Avoidance Orientations," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(7), pages 2377-2393, October.
    5. Mariia Sozoniuk & Jonghun Park & Natalia Lumby, 2022. "Investigating Residents’ Acceptance of Mobile Apps for Household Recycling: A Case Study of New Jersey," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, August.
    6. Vincenzo Calvo & Chiara Masaro & Chiara Fusco & Camilla Pellicelli & Simona Ghedin & Cristina Marogna, 2023. "Eudaimonic Well-Being of Italian Young Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predictive and Mediating Roles of Fear of Death and Psychological Inflexibility," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-19, May.

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