The Happiness Protocol: Error 404 Not Found
Hedonic adaptation as an element of creatureness.
While searching for an element that defines our humanity, I found myself continually thinking about an old Russian proverb that translates directly as "One quickly gets used to good things." An English proverb conveying a similar sentiment is, "You don't know what you've got until it's gone." Although the English saying emphasizes a slightly different concept, it aligns with the idea of quickly becoming accustomed to and overlooking the value of the positive experiences in our lives. But why is this the case? Why can't we simply remain content?
The answer lies in the complexities of human psychology, specifically, a psychological phenomenon known as hedonic adaptation. Hedonic adaptation is the process by which individuals return to a relatively stable level of happiness following major positive or negative life events. When something positive occurs, the human brain maintains the initial increase in happiness and satisfaction for only a brief period. People adjust to new situations, and the new level of comfort soon becomes the norm, leading to a diminished capacity to elicit happiness or satisfaction over time. Similarly, following an adverse event, an individual's happiness levels tend to gradually revert to their baseline, illustrating the resilience aspect of hedonic adaptation. While this partially answers the question, there is still more to consider.
Hedonic adaptation, or the so-called "hedonic treadmill," has several underlying causes. One of the most significant is rooted in evolutionary psychology. Hedonic adaptation may have served as a survival mechanism, as the constant pursuit of improvement could lead to better chances of survival and reproductive success. It appears we are innately driven to always strive for more.
But does any creature inherently undergo hedonic adaptation? From one perspective, AI systems improve over time by learning from data and feedback, focusing on optimizing performance without appreciating their accomplishments. However, beyond what they are programmed to do, they do not seek new, better stimuli as hedonic adaptation would suggest. While AI consistently improves at a given task, it does not become demotivated by its success in the long term either. Therefore, it acts as a slightly maladaptive hedonic treadmill for us, humans.
Representation in robots
Motion pictures often explore concepts akin to hedonic adaptation through narratives involving AI or robots that evolve over time, developing human-like emotions and desires. A remarkable example is Pixar’s "WALL-E"; the main character exhibits signs of seeking new experiences and forming attachments, indicating a form of adaptation beyond initial programming. Similarly, in "Short Circuit," the robot Johnny 5 develops a desire for more input, mirroring the human trait of constantly seeking new stimuli.
I doubt I could create a robot capable of experiencing hedonic adaptation. Essentially, this would mean that the robot would first become demotivated by the tasks it is programmed to perform and then seek new stimuli that satisfy a continuous need for improvement. Further imagining this scenario leads us into the plot of a science fiction movie, likely also a horror film.
However, it is possible to illustrate hedonic adaptation from a different perspective. To achieve this, a robot could demonstrate decreasing excitement for a repeated action over time. For instance, the robot could express a positive reaction upon receiving 1 cent. After obtaining the value of the first coin, it would no longer show a positive reaction to receiving another one-cent coin but a negative one, now only accepting a 2-cent coin or one of higher value. Essentially, the robot should request money but become dissatisfied when provided a coin of the same value again. To prevent the robot from demanding too much, it could have a reset button, which would highlight the importance of appreciating the good things in our lives.