Bernecker, K., Becker, D., & Guobyte, A. (2025).
Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Abstract
The link between self-control and success in various life domains is often explained by people avoiding hedonic pleasures, such as through inhibition, making the right choices, or using adaptive strategies. We propose an additional explanation: High self-control individuals prefer spending time on meaningful activities rather than pleasurable ones, whereas the opposite is true for individuals with high trait hedonic capacity. In Studies 1a and 1b, participants either imagined (N = 449) or actually engaged in activities (N = 231, pre-registered) during unexpected free time. They then rated their experience. In both studies, trait self-control was positively related to the eudaimonic experience (e.g., meaning) of activities and unrelated to their hedonic experience (e.g., pleasure). The opposite was true for trait hedonic capacity. Study 2 (N = 248) confirmed these findings using a repeated-choice paradigm. The preference for eudaimonic over hedonic experiences may be a key aspect of successful long-term goal pursuit.
Here are some thoughts:
This research proposes a new explanation for why people with high self-control are successful. Rather than just being good at resisting temptation, they have a fundamental preference for activities that feel meaningful and valuable, known as eudaimonic experiences.
Across three studies, individuals with high trait self-control consistently chose to spend their free time on activities they found meaningful, both in hypothetical scenarios and in real-life situations. Conversely, individuals with a high "trait hedonic capacity"—a natural skill for enjoying simple pleasures—showed a clear preference for activities that were pleasurable and fun. The studies found that these traits predict not just what people choose to do, but also how they experience the same activities; a person with high self-control will find more meaning in an activity than their peers, while a person with high hedonic capacity will find more pleasure in it.
This inherent preference for meaning over pleasure may be a key reason why those with high self-control find it easier to pursue long-term goals, as they are naturally drawn to the sense of purpose that such goal-directed actions provide.
