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<p>Although hedonic and eudaimonic motives are central to the pursuit of happiness, their relationship with prosocial behavior remains poorly understood. Prior research has primarily focused on between-person differences, leaving within-person temporal dynamics unclear. Through a 9-week weekly diary study (<i>N</i> = 277), we examined longitudinal associations among university students. The results revealed that while both motives positively correlated with prosocial behavior, their longitudinal relationships across weeks differed markedly. Eudaimonic motives and prosocial behavior demonstrated reciprocal positive prediction. In contrast, prosocial behavior unidirectionally predicted subsequent hedonic motives, with no evidence of reverse prediction. These findings reveal the different temporal dynamics of hedonic and eudaimonic motives in weekly prosocial engagement within individuals, and highlight the active role of prosocial behavior in enhancing both types of happiness motives. This study significantly deepens our understanding of the relationship between these variables, and suggests valuable interventions and community initiatives to foster a virtuous cycle of personal happiness and societal contribution.</p>

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Pursuing Pleasure or Meaning: A Weekly Diary Study of Happiness Motives and Prosocial Behavior in Young Adults

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月10日

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  • Shu Wang,
  • Qian Liu,
  • Tiantian Guo,
  • Xuanqi Chen,
  • Qingsong Tan,
  • Zhen Zhen,
  • Feng Kong

摘要

Although hedonic and eudaimonic motives are central to the pursuit of happiness, their relationship with prosocial behavior remains poorly understood. Prior research has primarily focused on between-person differences, leaving within-person temporal dynamics unclear. Through a 9-week weekly diary study (N = 277), we examined longitudinal associations among university students. The results revealed that while both motives positively correlated with prosocial behavior, their longitudinal relationships across weeks differed markedly. Eudaimonic motives and prosocial behavior demonstrated reciprocal positive prediction. In contrast, prosocial behavior unidirectionally predicted subsequent hedonic motives, with no evidence of reverse prediction. These findings reveal the different temporal dynamics of hedonic and eudaimonic motives in weekly prosocial engagement within individuals, and highlight the active role of prosocial behavior in enhancing both types of happiness motives. This study significantly deepens our understanding of the relationship between these variables, and suggests valuable interventions and community initiatives to foster a virtuous cycle of personal happiness and societal contribution.