Hedonic Utility

Utility derived from the experience itself, as contrasted with functional or utilitarian utility. Captures the emotional and sensory dimensions of consumption — pleasure, enjoyment, aesthetic delight — and is a foundational concept in consumer behavior and behavioral economics. Systematized by Batra and Ahtola (1991) in their two-factor model of consumption attitudes.

Consumer Fun addresses one aspect of hedonic utility but more specifically refers to a particular experience quality arising from the simultaneous co-occurrence of liberation and engagement. While adjacent to Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory, consumer fun uniquely includes the social and normative liberation dimension, making it a distinct construct within the broader hedonic utility family.