Happiness blooms from within: how mindset shapes consumer happiness after experiential consumption

What is it about?

This study explores why some people feel happier after certain experiences, even when those experiences aren’t always positive. It looks at how a person's mindset (growth vs. fixed) and the nature of the experience (positive or negative) affect consumer happiness. Using two experiments, the researchers found that people with a fixed mindset are more affected by the experiential valence, but those with a growth mindset can find meaning and happiness in both good and bad experiences, highlighting the transformative potential of a growth mindset to derive meaning and happiness even from adverse experiences.The study also highlights that eudaimonia—a sense of purpose and personal fulfillment—plays a key role in this process. For businesses, this means encouraging a growth mindset could help improve customer happiness, even when things don’t go perfectly. This research offers fresh insights into how mindset and experiences together shape consumer happiness.

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