Speaking of Psychology Why we love to travel, with Andrew Stevenson, PhD
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Oct 22, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Dr. Andrew Stevenson, a cultural psychologist and author, explores the psychological impact of travel. He delves into whether vacations genuinely enhance happiness and the phenomenon of post-vacation blues. Stevenson contrasts transformative travel with packaged tourism, emphasizing how mindset shapes our experiences. He also discusses the role of technology and social media in travel, the stress it can cause, and offers tips for managing travel anxiety. Finally, he highlights how we can adopt a travel mindset, even in our own neighborhoods.
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Travel As Transformative But Unequal
- Travel is a transformative activity that changes people but is not universally accessible due to economic and passport differences.
- Any engagement with unfamiliar environments, local or international, can influence how we feel, think, and act.
Two Types Of Travel Well-Being
- Travel supports two wellbeing modes: hedonistic pleasure and eudaimonic self-improvement, and people often switch between them on trips.
- Eudaimonic travel tends to produce longer-lasting positive effects than purely hedonistic vacations.
Manage Expectations To Avoid Disappointment
- The discrepancy model predicts satisfaction depends on the gap between expectations and reality, so overhyping a trip can reduce enjoyment.
- Trips with lower expectations often turn out to be the most satisfying experiences.
