Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Difficulty experiencing pleasure, also known as anhedonia, refers to the persistent inability to find joy or satisfaction in things that should typically bring pleasure.
Related terms
Hedonic Set Point: Hedonic set point is an individual's baseline level of happiness or subjective well-being that tends to remain relatively stable over time.
Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS): RDS is a hypothetical concept suggesting that some individuals have lower levels of brain reward chemicals and may struggle more with experiencing pleasure.
Hypofrontality: Hypofrontality refers to reduced activity in the frontal lobes of the brain, which are involved in decision-making, planning, and experiencing reward. It may contribute to difficulties in experiencing pleasure.