Social & wellbeing
Eudaimonic wellbeing
Definition
Eudaimonic wellbeing is a conception of wellbeing rooted in Aristotle's eudaimonia — living well through the realisation of one's capacities, virtue and purpose — as distinct from hedonic wellbeing, which centres pleasure and positive affect. In psychology it is operationalised by Carol Ryff's six dimensions: self-acceptance, positive relations, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose in life and personal growth.
References
Supports definition and framing.
Overview
What it means
Research finds eudaimonic and hedonic wellbeing complementary: flourishing individuals score high on both. The concept matters to sustainability because wellbeing economies and beyond-GDP frameworks need defensible accounts of what development is for — long-term flourishing rather than short-term consumption.
How it is used
Used in positive psychology, wellbeing measurement (Ryff scales), wellbeing-economy policy frameworks and quality-of-life research.
Why it matters
It grounds wellbeing metrics in meaning and capability, aligning measurement with sustainable, non-material conceptions of prosperity.