The Dual-Pathway Hedonic Equivalence Theory (DPHET)

AbstractThe Dual-Pathway Hedonic Equivalence Theory (DPHET) is a proposed integrative framework for investigating whether subjectively positive experiences can arise through different behavioral and cognitive routes. Its primary case, THE NON-SMOKER's PARADOX (NSP), concerns a person who does not smoke and may experience satisfaction, pride, ego-gratification, or perceived relative superiority because abstention is congruent with an internalized standard, a self-endorsed value, or a comparative self-evaluation. The proposed contrast is between a direct hedonic pathway associated with performing an activity and an abstention-based self-evaluative pathway through which the meaning of not performing that activity may itself become a source of positive affect.The framework distinguishes four analytically separate components: the origin of a standard, the core hedonic mechanism, proximal affective outcomes, and downstream changes in psychological pathways or behavior. Two standard-origin pathways are specified: an External-Origin Internalization Pathway (EOIP) and a Self-Endorsed Valuation Pathway (SEVP). Two reward pathways are specified: a Direct Hedonic Reward Pathway (DHRP) and an Abstention-Based Self-Evaluative Reward Pathway (ASERP). The proposed mechanism of abstention-based hedonic substitution (ABHS) is distinguished from the central empirical hypothesis of Functional Hedonic Equivalence (FHE). A separate downstream construct, Self-Evaluative Pathway Consolidation (SEPC), describes a possible strengthening over time of associations among a standard, self-appraisal, and positive affect.The manuscript defines the principal constructs, states candidate mathematical relationships, specifies observable indicators, establishes boundary conditions, and derives falsifiable hypotheses. It also distinguishes subjective pleasure from motivational wanting, behavioral reinforcement, and neurobiological equivalence. An 18-layer theoretical architecture, 17 research domains, and a 14-step research protocol are proposed. No empirical findings are claimed. FHE, SEPC, the proposed causal relationships, and the generality of the framework require independent operationalization, preregistered testing, replication, and comparison with existing theories. The framework is explanatory rather than morally evaluative: it does not determine the ethical status of a behavior, and it does not replace established medical evidence or clinical practice.Keywords: DPHET THE NON-SMOKER'S PARADOX; direct reward; abstention; self- evaluative pleasure; social comparison; functional hedonic equivalence; ego-gratification; pathway consolidation; falsifiability.