Resonant pleasure and the helper's high: Assessing strategies that link orientations to happiness with well-being

Abstract

Using newly developed self-report measures, this research documents individual differences in two strategies based on shared positive emotions: to share pleasures and to experience a ‘Helper's High’ in service to others. The research employs these measures in models predicting happiness and satisfaction. Data from 423 participants indicated that resonant pleasure and the Helper's High formed distinct and stable strategies; correlated with specific Orientations to Happiness; reliably and independently predicted multiple measures of subjective well-being (SWB); and reliably mediated (helped to explain) links between individual differences in the Orientations and SWB. In path analyses, individual differences in Resonant Pleasure mediated the link between Pleasant Life and trait happiness and satisfaction: identifying specific social experiences and behaviors that connect pleasure-seeking with lasting SWB. Individual differences in the Helper's High mediated links between Pleasant Life, Meaningful Life, and positive affect: identifying a specific strategy that connects searches for pleasure and meaning with excitement and enthusiasm in the moment. Implications for interventions to improve SWB are discussed.