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Satisfaction

Satisfaction is a multifaceted psychological and emotional state characterized by a sense of contentment, fulfillment, or pleasure derived from the realization of desires, expectations, needs, or goals.^[1] The term originates from the Middle English period around 1340, derived from the Latin satisfacere, meaning "to do enough" or "to make amends," initially referring to atonement for sins or discharging obligations.^[2]^[3] In psychology, satisfaction is often explored through the lens of life satisfaction, defined as a cognitive, judgmental process in which individuals globally evaluate their quality of life based on personal standards and experiences.^[1] This concept forms a core element of subjective well-being, encompassing not just transient emotions but an overall assessment influenced by factors such as relationships, health, and achievements; it is measured using tools like the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), a 5-item scale developed by Ed Diener and colleagues that assesses global life satisfaction.^[4] Job satisfaction, a related subdomain, arises from the alignment between work experiences and individual values, impacting motivation, productivity, and mental health. Economically, satisfaction is synonymous with utility, representing the total pleasure or benefit a consumer derives from consuming goods or services, which underpins demand and resource allocation.^[5] This idea, central to neoclassical economics, includes marginal utility—the additional satisfaction from one more unit of a good—which typically diminishes as consumption increases, explaining consumer behavior and market equilibrium.^[6] In decision-making, the concept of satisficing, introduced by Herbert Simon, describes choosing options that meet acceptable satisfaction thresholds rather than maximizing utility, reflecting real-world cognitive limits.^[7] Philosophically, satisfaction ties into theories of well-being and the good life, particularly preference satisfaction views, where an individual's welfare is enhanced by fulfilling their informed desires, regardless of whether those yield pleasure.^[8] This approach, advanced by thinkers like Peter Singer, contrasts with hedonism's focus on sensory pleasure and aligns with eudaimonic ideas from Aristotle, emphasizing virtuous activity and rational fulfillment over mere desire gratification.^[9] In broader ethical contexts, preference satisfaction theories posit that the good life emerges from fulfilling preferences, influencing debates on happiness, authenticity, and human flourishing.^[8] The term "satisfaction" also holds significance in fields such as law, business, arts, and science.

Concepts in psychology and philosophy

Psychological aspects

In psychology, satisfaction is conceptualized as a positive emotional and cognitive response arising from the fulfillment of needs, desires, or expectations, often manifesting as a sense of contentment or pleasure. This state involves a subjective appraisal of one's experiences against personal standards, contributing to overall subjective well-being.^[10] A foundational theory linking satisfaction to human motivation is Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which posits that human requirements are arranged in a prepotent order: physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. Satisfaction of lower-level needs is essential for progression to higher ones, with self-actualization representing the pinnacle where individuals experience profound fulfillment by realizing their innate potential and achieving personal growth.^[11] Complementing this, Victor Vroom's expectancy theory explains satisfaction in motivational contexts as stemming from the perceived link between effort, performance, and rewarding outcomes; individuals derive satisfaction when they believe their actions will yield valued results, such as recognition or achievement, thereby enhancing engagement and persistence.^[12] Satisfaction encompasses both emotional and cognitive dimensions, with key distinctions between hedonic and eudaimonic forms. Hedonic satisfaction emphasizes pleasure attainment and the avoidance of pain, focusing on immediate positive affects like joy and comfort to maximize happiness. In contrast, eudaimonic satisfaction centers on purpose, self-realization, and optimal functioning, fostering a deeper sense of meaning and personal development over transient enjoyment.^[13] To measure satisfaction, particularly global life satisfaction, psychologists employ tools like the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), a brief 5-item instrument developed by Ed Diener and colleagues. Respondents rate statements on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree), including items such as "In most ways my life is close to my ideal," "The conditions of my life are excellent," "I am satisfied with my life," "So far I have gotten the important things I want in life," and "If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing." This scale captures cognitive judgments of life quality, taking about one minute to complete, and demonstrates strong reliability and validity across diverse populations.^[14] Elevated satisfaction positively influences mental health by correlating with greater happiness, lower stress levels, and enhanced resilience. Positive emotions associated with satisfaction build psychological resources that mitigate the impact of daily stressors, reducing risks of anxiety and depression while promoting longevity and adaptive coping. In positive psychology, interventions targeting satisfaction—such as mindfulness or goal-setting exercises—further amplify these benefits by cultivating enduring well-being and emotional stability.^[15]^[10]

Philosophical aspects

In ancient Greek philosophy, Aristotle conceptualized satisfaction as eudaimonia, the highest human good achieved through a life of virtuous activity in accordance with reason, rather than mere pleasure or external success.^[16] This flourishing represents ultimate contentment derived from fulfilling one's potential as a rational being, emphasizing ethical excellence over transient desires. Similarly, Epicurean thought, as articulated by Epicurus, viewed satisfaction as ataraxia, a state of tranquil freedom from pain and disturbance attained by pursuing moderate pleasures and limiting desires to natural necessities.^[17] Epicureans argued that excessive ambitions lead to unrest, while simplicity fosters enduring peace of mind. In modern philosophy, John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism reframed satisfaction as the maximization of overall happiness, where actions are morally right if they promote the greatest pleasure for the greatest number, distinguishing higher intellectual pleasures from base ones.^[18] Mill contended that true contentment arises from developed faculties, critiquing simplistic hedonism. Friedrich Nietzsche, however, offered a sharp critique of passive satisfaction, portraying it as a symptom of decadence in figures like the "last man" who seeks only comfort and security without striving or overcoming.^[19] Nietzsche advocated for an active, affirmative life of self-overcoming and creative will to power, viewing mere contentment as a denial of human vitality and potential. Existentialist philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus challenged the possibility of lasting satisfaction in an absurd world devoid of inherent meaning. Sartre emphasized authentic existence through free choices amid anguish, rejecting resignation to superficial fulfillment as bad faith. Camus, in confronting the absurd, proposed revolt and lucid awareness over illusory happiness, as exemplified in the myth of Sisyphus, where persistent effort defies despair without promising resolution. Philosophical debates on satisfaction often center on ethical tensions between individual desires and societal harmony, as seen in Plato's Republic, where justice as psychic and social order subordinates personal appetites to the common good for collective well-being.^[20] Utilitarians like Mill prioritize aggregate happiness, potentially sacrificing individual fulfillment for broader utility, while Aristotelian and existential views stress personal virtue or authenticity, raising questions about whether true satisfaction can coexist with communal obligations without compromising autonomy.

Legal aspects

Contract law

In contract law, satisfaction refers to the complete fulfillment of a party's obligations under the terms of an agreement, which discharges the contract and releases both parties from further duties.^[21] This doctrine ensures that once performance aligns precisely with the contractual specifications, the performing party is entitled to the agreed-upon benefits, such as payment, without ongoing liability.^[22] Full satisfaction contrasts with partial or defective performance, where the contract remains executory until remedied or excused. A key method of achieving satisfaction and discharge is through accord and satisfaction, where the parties agree to substitute a different performance for the original obligation (the accord), and the new performance is then executed (the satisfaction), thereby settling the contract.^[23] This doctrine is commonly used to resolve disputed claims or debts by accepting less than originally owed, provided there is consideration and the acceptance is intentional. For example, a creditor may agree to accept partial payment marked "payment in full" as complete satisfaction of a larger debt.^[24] The historical roots of satisfaction in contract law trace to English common law, where strict adherence to exact performance was initially required to avoid forfeiture of benefits, reflecting the era's emphasis on formalities in agreements.^[25] Over time, equity courts intervened to mitigate harsh outcomes, developing exceptions for near-complete performance to prevent unjust enrichment, as seen in early 19th-century cases balancing literal compliance with fairness.^[26] In the United States, this evolved through adoption of common law principles post-independence, with jurisdictions refining the approach in the 20th century to prioritize economic efficiency; for instance, New York courts in the 1920s solidified substantial performance as a key mitigation to strict rules, influencing widespread acceptance across states.^[27] A central aspect of satisfaction is the substantial performance doctrine, which deems a contract satisfied—and thus discharged—when a party has fulfilled all material terms with only minor deviations that do not undermine the agreement's purpose, allowing recovery of payment minus any deduction for defects.^[28] This prevents total forfeiture for trivial noncompliance, promoting fairness in long-term or complex contracts like construction. A seminal example is Jacob & Youngs, Inc. v. Kent (1921), where the New York Court of Appeals, in an opinion by Justice Cardozo, held that a builder who installed equivalent but non-specified plumbing pipes substantially performed its residential contract, entitling it to full payment less nominal damages, as the variation was inadvertent and did not affect the structure's value.^[27] The doctrine applies primarily to "divisible" or non-time-sensitive obligations, excluding willful breaches. Satisfaction clauses, which condition one party's duty on the other's approval (e.g., "to the satisfaction of the buyer"), are interpreted under either an objective or subjective standard depending on the contract's nature and jurisdiction.^[29] In commercial contexts, such as construction or mechanical work, courts apply an objective standard, assessing whether a reasonable person would deem the performance satisfactory, as in cases involving operational efficiency where personal whim should not frustrate business deals.^[30] Conversely, subjective standards govern personal or aesthetic matters, like artistic commissions, requiring only honest dissatisfaction in good faith; for example, in Mattei v. Hopper (1958), the California Supreme Court upheld a subjective interpretation for a lease option contingent on the lessee's satisfaction with subletting prospects, recognizing business judgment's discretionary element.^[31] Conditions precedent (e.g., satisfaction required before payment) trigger duties only upon meeting the standard, while subsequent conditions adjust post-performance obligations, with courts favoring objective tests to enforce contracts reliably.^[32] Failure to achieve satisfaction constitutes a breach, entitling the non-breaching party to remedies aimed at restoration or compensation.^[33] For minor breaches under substantial performance, damages are limited to the cost of curing defects, but material non-satisfaction allows compensatory damages to cover direct losses, such as expectation or reliance costs. Specific performance may be ordered for unique obligations (e.g., land sales), compelling exact fulfillment where money damages are inadequate, while rescission voids the contract for fundamental failures, returning parties to pre-agreement positions.^[34] These remedies evolved from common law writs to modern equitable principles, ensuring accountability without over-penalizing good-faith efforts.

Tort and criminal law

In tort law, satisfaction is primarily achieved through monetary damages awarded to restore the injured party as closely as possible to their pre-injury position, embodying the principle of making the plaintiff "whole."^[35] Compensatory damages form the core of this remedy, encompassing economic losses such as medical expenses and lost wages, as well as non-economic harms like pain and suffering.^[36] In addition to compensatory awards, punitive damages may be imposed to punish egregious conduct and deter future wrongdoing, particularly in cases of intentional torts or gross negligence, though they are not intended to compensate the victim directly.^[37] A foundational principle governing the scope of such damages is foreseeability, ensuring that compensation is limited to losses reasonably anticipated by the defendant at the time of the wrongful act. The English case of Hadley v. Baxendale (1854) established this rule in contract law but has been influential in tort contexts, where courts similarly restrict recovery to foreseeable harms to prevent excessive liability. In modern personal injury claims, this manifests in awards for verifiable losses, such as in negligence suits involving automobile accidents, where juries calculate damages based on evidence of physical impairment and emotional distress to provide tangible satisfaction.^[38] In criminal law, satisfaction for victims emphasizes restitution orders, requiring offenders to directly compensate victims for losses incurred due to the crime, such as property damage or medical costs. Under the U.S. Mandatory Victims Restitution Act of 1996 (codified at 18 U.S.C. § 3663A), courts must impose full restitution in cases of violent or property crimes, prioritizing victim recovery over other penalties when resources are limited.^[39] This mechanism aims to provide financial and emotional closure, often integrated into sentencing to affirm the victim's dignity. Unlike civil tort remedies, which focus on private compensation between parties, criminal restitution incorporates punitive elements through imprisonment or fines imposed by the state, reflecting public interest in retribution and deterrence.^[40] The state's prosecutorial role ensures enforcement, distinguishing it from voluntary civil settlements. Internationally, civil law systems like France address satisfaction through awards for préjudice moral (moral damages), compensating non-pecuniary harms such as psychological suffering in tort claims under Article 1240 of the Civil Code, often resulting in symbolic sums to acknowledge the injury's gravity. This approach contrasts with common law punitive damages by prioritizing restorative equity over punishment.

Business and economics

Customer satisfaction

Customer satisfaction refers to the degree to which a product or service meets or exceeds customer expectations, typically evaluated post-purchase as an overall assessment of fulfillment.^[41] This concept is central to business performance, as it reflects customers' emotional and cognitive responses to their experiences.^[42] Key metrics for measuring customer satisfaction include the Net Promoter Score (NPS) and the Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT). NPS gauges loyalty by asking customers, on a scale of 0 to 10, how likely they are to recommend the company, categorizing responses as promoters (9-10), passives (7-8), or detractors (0-6); the score is calculated as NPS = % promoters - % detractors.^[43] CSAT is assessed through post-interaction surveys, often using a 1-5 scale where customers rate their satisfaction (e.g., 1 = very dissatisfied, 5 = very satisfied), with the score derived as the percentage of satisfied responses (4-5 ratings) divided by total responses.^[44] Theoretical frameworks underpin these measurements, notably the expectancy-disconfirmation theory and the SERVQUAL model. According to expectancy-disconfirmation theory, satisfaction arises from the comparison of perceived performance against prior expectations, where satisfaction = perceived performance - expectations; positive disconfirmation (performance exceeds expectations) leads to satisfaction, while negative disconfirmation results in dissatisfaction.^[45] The SERVQUAL model evaluates service quality gaps across five dimensions—tangibles (physical facilities), reliability (dependable service), responsiveness (prompt help), assurance (knowledge and courtesy), and empathy (caring attention)—by comparing customer expectations to perceptions, identifying discrepancies that affect overall satisfaction.^[46] High customer satisfaction drives business outcomes such as increased loyalty, repeat purchases, and revenue growth. Studies show positive associations between satisfaction and customer retention, word-of-mouth referrals, spending, and firm-level financial performance, with satisfied customers contributing to higher profitability through reduced churn and premium pricing tolerance.^[47] In retail, Amazon's emphasis on rapid delivery speeds exemplifies this impact, where faster fulfillment has led to satisfaction ratings as high as 85% for delivery aspects, boosting loyalty and market share.^[48] Businesses enhance customer satisfaction through strategies like customer relationship management (CRM) systems, feedback loops, and loyalty programs. CRM systems centralize customer data to personalize interactions and resolve issues proactively, directly improving satisfaction and retention.^[49] Feedback loops involve collecting and acting on customer input via surveys or reviews to refine offerings iteratively.^[50] Loyalty programs reward repeat engagement with incentives like points or discounts, fostering long-term satisfaction and encouraging sustained patronage.^[51]

Employee and job satisfaction

Job satisfaction refers to the extent to which employees experience positive emotional responses to their work environment, including tasks, relationships, and rewards, often conceptualized as a pleasurable state resulting from appraising one's job experiences.^[52] This attitude encompasses both cognitive evaluations of job facets and affective reactions, distinguishing it from mere contentment by emphasizing fulfillment derived from role alignment and achievement.^[53] Key factors influencing job satisfaction include intrinsic motivators and extrinsic conditions, as outlined in Herzberg's two-factor theory. Motivators, such as opportunities for achievement, recognition, and responsibility, drive higher satisfaction by fulfilling growth needs, while hygiene factors like salary, company policies, and working conditions prevent dissatisfaction but do not necessarily enhance motivation when adequate.^[54] Role theory further explains influences through stressors like overload and underload; role overload occurs when demands exceed an employee's capacity, leading to strain and reduced satisfaction, whereas underload from insufficient challenges fosters boredom and disengagement.^[55] These role dynamics, rooted in conflicting expectations from supervisors or colleagues, amplify dissatisfaction in high-stress organizational settings. Measurement of job satisfaction typically employs facet-specific instruments to capture multidimensional aspects. The Job Descriptive Index (JDI), developed in 1969, assesses satisfaction across five areas—work itself, pay, promotions, supervision, and coworkers—using adjective checklists for employees to rate agreement, providing reliable insights into targeted dissatisfiers.^[56] Similarly, the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), available in short (20-item) and long (100-item) forms since 1967, evaluates intrinsic (e.g., achievement, autonomy) and extrinsic (e.g., supervision, compensation) satisfaction via Likert-scale responses, enabling comparisons of overall and subscale scores across roles.^[57] Outcomes of job satisfaction significantly impact organizational dynamics, with meta-analyses revealing moderate positive correlations to productivity and stronger negative links to turnover and absenteeism. Satisfied employees demonstrate higher job performance, with a corrected correlation of approximately 0.30, indicating that satisfaction enhances effort and output through increased engagement rather than direct causation.^[58] Low satisfaction correlates with elevated voluntary turnover intentions (r = -0.19 to -0.25 across studies) and actual turnover rates, as dissatisfied workers seek better opportunities, contributing to organizational costs estimated at 1.5–2 times annual salary per departure.^[59] Absenteeism also rises with dissatisfaction, particularly for facets like promotions (uncorrelated) but strongly for overall job aspects (r = -0.24), reflecting withdrawal behaviors to cope with unmet expectations.^[60] Furthermore, job satisfaction fosters organizational commitment, with meta-analytic evidence showing a robust positive association (r = 0.51), where committed employees exhibit loyalty and reduced propensity to leave.^[61] Interventions to enhance job satisfaction focus on addressing identified factors through targeted organizational changes. Training programs that build skills and autonomy align with motivators in Herzberg's theory, improving satisfaction by reducing role ambiguity and boosting competence.^[62] Flexible work arrangements, such as remote options or adjustable hours, mitigate overload by enhancing work-life balance, leading to higher satisfaction among participants.^[63] Recognition programs, including peer nominations and non-monetary awards, reinforce intrinsic rewards, with evidence indicating positive effects on overall satisfaction by fulfilling achievement needs and strengthening commitment.^[64]

Arts and entertainment

Film and television

The 1988 American comedy-drama film Satisfaction, directed by Joan Freeman in her feature debut, stars Justine Bateman as Jennie Lee, the lead singer of an all-girl rock band called The Mystery. The plot follows the group as they secure their first major gig performing at a summer resort in the Hamptons, where Jennie navigates romantic entanglements with a wealthy older musician played by Liam Neeson, alongside band tensions involving drugs, jealousy, and the harsh realities of adult life; supporting roles include early appearances by Julia Roberts as a bandmate and Trini Alvarado as Jennie's sister. Released by Fox, the 93-minute PG-13 film was marketed as a coming-of-age story blending music and romance but received mixed critical reception, with reviewers noting its clichéd "grrrl power" tropes and nostalgic '80s vibe overshadowed by dated elements like '60s-era songs in an '80s setting, earning a 40% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 5/10 average on IMDb.^[65]^[66]^[67] In television, the Australian drama series Satisfaction (2007–2010), created by Roger Simpson and produced by FOXTEL, centers on the personal and professional lives of sex workers at the upscale Melbourne brothel 232, exploring themes of empowerment, relationships, and emotional fulfillment through characters like escort Nat (Diana Glenn) and her colleagues. Spanning three seasons and 40 episodes, the series delves into backstories involving family dynamics, client interactions, and internal conflicts, with notable arcs including a rock star client's ego-driven encounters and the brothel's operational challenges. It garnered strong praise in Australia for its authentic portrayal of the industry without sensationalism, described by critics as "provocative and compelling" with well-developed characters, achieving a 7.3/10 rating on IMDb and contributing to discussions on sex work as a viable profession.^[68]^[69] The American series Satisfaction (2014–2015), developed by Sean Jablonski for USA Network, follows affluent couple Neil Truman (Matt Passmore), an investment banker facing job dissatisfaction, and his wife Grace (Stephanie Szostak), whose secret hire of a male escort leads Neil to unexpectedly take up the same profession to reconnect with her and rediscover purpose. Airing two seasons for 20 episodes, the drama examines marital stagnation, financial privilege, and personal reinvention, with key cast including Devin Kelley as escort Ashley and Eric McCormack in a recurring role. Reception was generally positive for its pilot's intriguing premise and dark humor, earning an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score for Season 1, though some critics noted a mid-season dip in momentum and sustainability issues leading to cancellation; it holds a 7.1/10 on IMDb and was lauded for tackling midlife discontent in a relatable, affluent context.^[70]^[71]^[72]^[73] Thematically, films like American Beauty (1999), directed by Sam Mendes and starring Kevin Spacey as a suburban father undergoing a midlife crisis amid repressed desires and familial discord, have portrayed quests for satisfaction in everyday American life, winning five Academy Awards including Best Picture for its satirical take on dissatisfaction. More recent works include the 2025 psychological drama Satisfaction, directed by Alex Burunova and set against the Greek isles, where British composers Lola (Emma Laird) and Philip (Fionn Whitehead) grapple with relational silence and power imbalances after inviting a third party into their dynamic, earning an 8/10 on IMDb for its haunting exploration of fulfillment. Documentaries touching on consumer satisfaction, such as the 2001 PBS FRONTLINE episode "The Merchants of Cool," examine how marketing targets teen desires for identity and belonging, influencing broader cultural quests for satisfaction in media portrayals.^[74]^[75]^[76]

Music

In music, several albums have been titled Satisfaction, spanning diverse genres and eras, often exploring themes of desire, fulfillment, and discontent through their soundscapes and lyrics. These releases range from early fusion experiments to modern indie rock, reflecting the word's evocative power in artistic expression. While individual songs titled "Satisfaction" dominate popular culture, albums bearing the name provide deeper explorations via full-length compositions. One early example is the self-titled debut album Satisfaction by the British band Satisfaction, released in 1970 on Decca Records. Blending jazz-rock and progressive elements, the LP features instrumental tracks like "Sundance" and "Tomorrow's World," characterized by intricate guitar work and fusion grooves influenced by contemporaries like Soft Machine.^[77] The album received modest critical attention for its ambitious arrangements but achieved limited commercial success, remaining a cult favorite among prog enthusiasts for its innovative sound.^[77] In the funk and electro realm, Aurra's album Satisfaction, recorded in 1983-1984 and released in 2013 on Family Groove Records, stands out as a pivotal work in electro-funk. Produced by Steve Washington, it includes tracks such as "Satisfaction," "Turn the Lights Down Low," and "My Lovin' Is For You," fusing synth-driven electro-funk with soulful vocals that anticipated the electronic dance trends of the decade. Critics noted its role in bridging disco's decline with emerging electronic sounds, earning a 4.7/5 user rating on Discogs for its enduring dancefloor appeal.^[78] A more contemporary entry is Satisfaction by American shoegaze band Narrow Head, self-released in 2016 and later reissued by Run for Cover Records in 2021. The album delves into themes of emotional dissatisfaction through hazy, reverb-soaked guitars and introspective lyrics on tracks like "Necrosis," "Ashtray," and "Paranoid Hands." Drawing from '90s influences like My Bloody Valentine and Smashing Pumpkins, it garnered strong reception in the indie scene, with a 3.5/5 rating from over 1,200 users on Rate Your Music for its balanced blend of noise and melody.^[79] The release marked a breakthrough for the band, boosting their profile in shoegaze revival circles and demonstrating the theme's resonance in modern alternative music.^[80] Uses of "Satisfaction" in classical or instrumental compositions are rare, typically appearing in contemporary experimental works that evoke thematic resolution through abstract sound design, such as ambient pieces meditating on fulfillment. Broader motifs of satisfaction in music often tie back to these titled albums, where lyrics across rock and electronic releases recurrently probe unfulfilled longing, as seen in Aurra's sensual explorations or Narrow Head's introspective haze, influencing genre evolutions from funk to shoegaze.

Literature and other media

In literature, the theme of satisfaction frequently manifests as a pursuit fraught with tension, disillusionment, and the limits of human fulfillment. Émile Zola's La Bête humaine (1890), the seventeenth novel in his Rougon-Macquart cycle, portrays unsatisfied desires—particularly sexual and violent impulses—as deterministic forces driving characters like train engineer Jacques Lantier toward murder and moral collapse, underscoring naturalist views of heredity and environment.^[81] Similarly, Gillian Greenwood's Satisfaction: A Novel (2006) follows a middle-aged British woman navigating a stagnant marriage and career, seeking personal and emotional renewal through therapy and new relationships, only to confront the complexities of self-realization. Rae Lawrence's Satisfaction (1988), a romance novel, centers on a young woman's journey toward romantic and professional contentment amid urban challenges, blending escapism with themes of empowerment. Plays explicitly titled with "satisfaction" remain uncommon, though some 20th-century experimental works grapple with existential dimensions of the concept. Jean-Paul Sartre's No Exit (1944), a cornerstone of existentialist theater, depicts three damned souls in a confined afterlife room where they torment each other, revealing that "hell is other people" and true satisfaction eludes them through endless judgment and unfulfilled needs. Arthur M. Jolly's farce The Lady Demands Satisfaction satirizes honor and retribution in a comedic tale of mistaken identities and duels, where characters demand "satisfaction" in the dueling sense but find chaotic absurdity instead.^[82] In other media, interactive formats like video games have incorporated satisfaction as both title element and core mechanic. Satisfactory (early access 2019, full release 2024), developed by Coffee Stain Studios, is a first-person open-world game where players build and automate factories on an alien planet, deriving satisfaction from solving logistical puzzles and achieving optimization milestones.^[83] Comics and graphic novels occasionally explore satisfaction through consumerist lenses, such as in Daniel Clowes's David Boring (2000), where the protagonist's obsessive quest for idealized relationships and media-driven ideals leads to alienation and unfulfilled longing. Across these works, recurring motifs include the relentless chase for satisfaction—be it emotional, existential, or material—frequently culminating in disillusionment, as authors and creators like Zola, Sartre, and Clowes highlight the gap between aspiration and reality to critique societal and personal constraints.

Science and mathematics

Satisfiability in logic

In propositional logic, a formula is satisfiable if there exists an assignment of truth values to its variables such that the formula evaluates to true.^[84] This concept forms the basis of the Boolean satisfiability problem (SAT), a decision problem that asks whether a given propositional formula has a satisfying assignment.^[84] The SAT problem is NP-complete, meaning it is among the hardest problems in NP and every problem in NP can be reduced to it in polynomial time.^[85] This was established by the Cook-Levin theorem, independently proven by Stephen Cook in 1971 and Leonid Levin around the same period, which demonstrated that SAT serves as the canonical NP-complete problem by reducing arbitrary nondeterministic Turing machine computations to CNF-SAT instances.^[85] Key concepts in SAT include literals, which are propositional variables or their negations (e.g., p or \neg p), and clauses, which are disjunctions of literals (e.g., p \vee \neg q).^[86] Formulas are often expressed in conjunctive normal form (CNF), a conjunction of clauses (e.g., (p \vee \neg q) \wedge (\neg p \vee r)).^[86] For instance, the CNF formula (p \vee \neg q) \wedge (\neg p \vee r) is satisfiable under the assignment p = \top, q = \bot, r = \top, as each clause evaluates to true.^[86] The Davis-Putnam-Logemann-Loveland (DPLL) algorithm, introduced in 1962, is a foundational backtracking procedure for solving SAT by recursively assigning values to variables, performing unit propagation to simplify clauses, and detecting conflicts.^[87] Modern SAT solvers build on DPLL with enhancements like conflict-driven clause learning (CDCL), as seen in MiniSat, a minimalistic open-source solver developed in 2003 that won multiple categories in the 2005 SAT competition and influenced subsequent tools through its extensible design.^[88] As of 2024, SAT competitions continue to advance the field, with emerging AI-assisted solvers like SATLUTION (2025) using large language models to evolve solver code and policies, outperforming traditional designs on benchmarks.^[89]^[90] These solvers find applications in artificial intelligence for planning and automated reasoning, hardware and software verification to check system properties, and cryptography for cryptanalysis tasks such as key recovery in hash functions.^[84]^[91]^[92] The notion of satisfiability traces its origins to the 1930s, with Kurt Gödel's work on incompleteness theorems and formal systems laying foundational semantic ideas, later refined by Alfred Tarski's truth definitions in propositional and first-order logic.^[93] Practical algorithmic approaches emerged in the 1960s with early resolution-based methods, evolving into the efficient solvers of today.^[93]

Other scientific contexts

In computer science, particularly within artificial intelligence and optimization, the concept of satisfaction extends to constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs), which involve finding assignments of values to variables that meet a set of specified constraints.^[94] CSPs generalize beyond boolean satisfiability by allowing variables to take values from finite domains and constraints to be arbitrary relations, enabling modeling of diverse problems such as scheduling, mapping, and configuration tasks.^[94] Seminal work in this area traces to early formulations in the 1970s, with key advancements in algorithms like backtracking and arc consistency propagation, as detailed in foundational texts on AI.^[95] These methods efficiently prune search spaces, making CSPs solvable for practical applications despite their NP-completeness in general.^[95] Neuroscience explores satisfaction through the lens of pleasure and reward processing, distinguishing "liking" (hedonic impact) from "wanting" (motivational drive).^[96] Hedonic hotspots in the brain—small regions in the nucleus accumbens shell and ventral pallidum—generate intense pleasure when activated by opioids or endocannabinoids, amplifying responses to rewards like sweetness or social bonds by up to threefold in animal models.^[96] The orbitofrontal cortex integrates these signals for subjective valuation.^[96] This framework links satisfaction to well-being, where balanced hedonic and eudaimonic (meaningful) elements sustain happiness, as disruptions in these circuits underlie conditions like anhedonia in depression.^[97]

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Epicurus - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Jan 10, 2005 · However, happiness (eudaimonia), according to Epicurus, is not simply a neutral or privative condition but rather a form of pleasure in its ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[19]
Mill's Moral and Political Philosophy
Oct 9, 2007 · Utilitarianism assesses actions and institutions in terms of their effects on human happiness and enjoins us to perform actions and design ...
[20]
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics/
[21]
Plato's Ethics: An Overview - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Sep 16, 2003 · That is to say, happiness or well-being (eudaimonia) is the highest aim of moral thought and conduct, and the virtues (aretê: 'excellence') are ...2. The Early Dialogues... · 3. The Middle Dialogues... · 3.2 Virtues Of State And...
[22]
Satisfaction and discharge: Overview, definition, and example
Apr 5, 2025 · Satisfaction and discharge refer to the completion of responsibilities under a contract, where satisfaction indicates that the terms of the contract have been ...
[23]
15.1 Discharge of Contract Duties
Discharge by Performance (or Nonperformance) of the Duty. A contract can be discharged by complete performance or material nonperformance of the contractual ...
[24]
A History of Contract Law's Substantial Performance Doctrine and its ...
Nov 29, 2021 · Jacob & Youngs Inc. v. Kent (1921) has served as the dominant law school case on the Substantial Performance Doctrine for over a century.
[25]
THE DOCTRINE OF SUBSTANTIAL PERFORMANCE
Entire contracts gave birth, in Dakin v. Lee in 1915, to the modern doctrine of substantial performance, which it is submitted is the subject of considerable ...
[26]
Jacob Youngs v Kent
The rule that gives a remedy in cases of substantial performance with compensation for defects of trivial or inappreciable importance, has been developed by the ...
[27]
LII Wex substantial performance - Law.Cornell.Edu
For example, in Jacob & Youngs v Kent, Kent hired Jacob & Youngs as a contractor to build a house, specifying that the contractor use a specific pipe. The ...
[28]
Satisfaction Clause Legal Meaning & Law Definition - Quimbee
The clause may be interpreted using an objective reasonable-person standard or a subjective good-faith standard.
[29]
Court Distinguishes Clauses Relating to a Party's Subjective or ...
Jul 28, 2016 · The objective satisfaction standard requires that a party's decision to reject the performance be reasonable. The subjective standard, by ...
[30]
Satisfaction Clause Interpretation - Attorney Aaron Hall
Parties may disagree on whether the work completed meets the subjective or objective standards stipulated in the contract.Understanding Satisfaction... · The Importance of Clear... · Case Law Analysis
[31]
Understanding Conditions of Satisfaction in Contract Law - CliffsNotes
Conditions of satisfaction determine if a party's duty depends on their satisfaction with performance or specific circumstances.
[32]
6 Common Remedies for Breach of Contract in Business - Miller Law
Sep 19, 2025 · There are a number of potential remedies for breach of contract. These can range from enforcing the terms of the contract to monetary compensation.
[33]
What Remedies Are Available in a Breach of Contract Case?
Jun 20, 2019 · What Remedies Are Available in a Breach of Contract Case? · 1. Liquidated Damages · 2. Compensatory Damages · 3. Specific Performance · Call a ...
[34]
compensatory damages | Wex - Law.Cornell.Edu
In tort law, compensatory damages, also known as actual damages, are damages awarded by a court equivalent to the loss a party suffered.
[35]
A Guide to Compensatory Damages - Bloomberg Law
Feb 13, 2023 · Compensatory damages compensate a plaintiff for harm, injury, or other losses caused by the tortious conduct of another party.
[36]
punitive damages | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
Punitive damages are considered punishment and are typically awarded at the court's discretion when the defendant's behavior is found to be especially harmful.
[37]
Compensatory Damages – Tort Law: A 21st-Century Approach - CALI
The aim of “making the plaintiff whole” reflects tort law's compensation principle, as well as the fiction that money can ever really achieve such a goal.
[38]
18 U.S. Code § 3663A - Mandatory restitution to victims of certain ...
18 U.S. Code § 3663A - Mandatory restitution to victims of certain crimes · (A). lost income, child care, transportation, and other expenses incurred during and ...
[39]
Restitution Process - Criminal Division - Department of Justice
Oct 10, 2023 · A convicted offender may be ordered to reimburse victims for financial losses incurred due to the offender's crime. This reimbursement is called restitution.
[40]
Customer Satisfaction - Oliver - 2010 - Wiley Online Library
Dec 15, 2010 · The concept of customer satisfaction is reviewed from a theory-based applied perspective based on a large body of work in the academic community.
[41]
Customer Satisfaction - ResearchGate
According to Oliver (2010) customer satisfaction is a consumer's fulfilment response. This is an assessment that the features of a product or service or the ...
[42]
The One Number You Need to Grow
The One Number You Need to Grow by Frederick F. Reichheld from the Magazine (December 2003). The CEOs in the room knew all about the power of loyalty.
[43]
What is CSAT and how do you measure it? - Qualtrics
To calculate a CSAT score from your survey data, you'll use the responses of 4 (satisfied) and 5 (very satisfied). It has been shown that using the two highest ...
[44]
A Cognitive Model of the Antecedents and Consequences of ...
Preliminary results showed that the summary measures displayed a more meaningful relationship to satisfaction. Interested readers are referred to Oliver (1980).
[45]
(PDF) SERVQUAL A Multiple-item Scale for Measuring Consumer ...
Aug 5, 2025 · This paper describes the development of a 22-item instrument (called SERVQUAL) for assessing customer perceptions of service quality in service and retailing ...
[46]
Customer satisfaction, loyalty behaviors, and firm financial ...
Mar 3, 2023 · The results show a positive association of customer satisfaction with customer-level outcomes (retention, WOM, spending, and price) and firm-level outcomes.
[47]
[PDF] Study on Customer Satisfaction with Online Shopping Services ... - ijrpr
May 26, 2025 · 72% of the respondents were highly satisfied with Amazon. • Highest rating was given to usability (82%) and delivery speed (85%). • Customer ...
[48]
The nexus between quality of customer relationship management ...
Nov 4, 2023 · This study aims to investigate customers' satisfaction with CRM systems through online reviews. We collected 5172 online customers' reviews from 8 CRM systems.
[49]
13 CRM Strategies to Help Your Business Thrive - NetSuite
Jun 15, 2023 · CRM strategies equip the entire business to leverage customer data in feedback loops to inform product and service offerings, including data ...
[50]
Full article: Linking customer satisfaction with financial performance
Aug 6, 2018 · Ultimately customer satisfaction through loyalty leads to higher revenues and to better financial performance. As can be implied from this ...
[51]
The nature and causes of job satisfaction | Semantic Scholar
The nature and causes of job satisfaction · E. A. Locke · Published 1976 · Psychology, Business.
[52]
Job Satisfaction - APA Dictionary of Psychology
Nov 15, 2023 · the attitude of a worker toward their job, often expressed as a hedonic response of liking or disliking the work itself, the rewards (pay, ...
[53]
Motivation to work : Herzberg, Frederick, author - Internet Archive
Jun 12, 2023 · 'Motivation to Work' is a landmark volume that is of enduring interest to sociologists, psychologists, labor studies specialists, and organization analysts.
[54]
(PDF) Stress and organizational role conflict - ResearchGate
Aug 6, 2025 · The perception of conflicting expectations, termed role conflict, is generally thought to be stressful. Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek, and Rosenthal ...
[55]
Job Descriptive Index - Bowling Green State University
Jun 9, 2020 · The Job Descriptive Index is designed to measure employees' satisfaction with their jobs. The JDI is a “facet” measure of job satisfaction ...Measures · JDI Products and Services · History · Archives
[56]
(MSQ) Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire
The Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ) is designed to measure an employee's satisfaction with his or her job. Three forms are available: two long forms ...
[57]
Job Satisfaction and Job Performance: A Meta-Analysis
Oct 9, 2025 · The present meta-analytic study demonstrates that (a) the best estimate of the true population correlation between satisfaction and performance is relatively ...
[58]
A meta-analytic review of the relationship between absence and ...
A meta-analysis that combined 33 correlations from 17 studies found a corrected average correlation of .330 between absence and turnover.
[59]
Job Satisfaction and Absenteeism: A Meta-Analytic Re-examination
Aug 6, 2025 · Based on 106 correlations from 29 independent studies, the results indicate that only satisfaction with promotions is uncorrelated with voluntary absenteeism.
[60]
Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitments: A Meta-Analysis
This research examines the correlation between Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment via meta-analysis. The goal is to provide a new perspective on ...
[61]
Intrinsic Rewards and Employee's Performance With the Mediating ...
Jul 14, 2021 · The prime goal of this study is to analyze the impact of intrinsic rewards on the performance of an employee. It also focuses on the role of motivation of the ...
[62]
Improving Job Satisfaction and Belonging Through Flexible Work ...
Nov 9, 2023 · The purpose of this action research study was to address increased employee turnover by exploring the impact of flexibility and supportive supervisors.
[63]
[PDF] Impact of Reward and Recognition on Job Satisfaction and Motivation
Reward and recognition programs are designed to acknowledge and appreciate employees' efforts, and their effectiveness in influencing job satisfaction and.
[64]
Satisfaction | Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 40% (5) It's a cliche-ridden grrrl power movie about a rock band trying to make it, until the lead singer falls in love with Liam Neeson. Maybe it's just the nostalgia ...Missing: reception | Show results with:reception
[65]
Satisfaction (1988) - IMDb
Rating 5/10 (4,050) Justine Bateman rocks out as the leader of an all-girl band that struggles with men and drugs during a summer resort gig.Missing: reception | Show results with:reception
[66]
MOVIE REVIEW : 'Satisfaction' Gets Caught in a Time Warp
Feb 17, 1988 · This is a movie--supposedly about an '80s rock band--where the songs date from the '60s, the language and sexual attitudes suggest the '70s and ...Missing: cast reception
[67]
Satisfaction (TV Series 2007–2010) - IMDb
Rating 7.2/10 (1,546) Satisfaction is a great show, with a terrific blend of high drama and comedic moments. This series is NOT to be confused with the Netflix show of the same name.Full cast & crew · Satisfaction · Parents guide · Episode list
[68]
Michael Bennett: Satisfaction | The West Australian
Jan 14, 2010 · The Melbourne-based series has created a stir in the past 12 months with its graphic depiction of the working lives of a group of female prostitutes.Missing: reception | Show results with:reception<|separator|>
[69]
Satisfaction: Season 1 - Rotten Tomatoes
Rating 83% (5) Discover reviews, ratings, and trailers for Satisfaction: Season 1 on Rotten Tomatoes. Stay updated with critic and audience scores today!
[70]
Satisfaction (TV Series 2014–2015) - IMDb
Rating 7.1/10 (4,248) The well-titled "Satisfaction" is about a couple who believe that there is something missing from their basically contented, affluent lives. The show begins ...Full cast & crew · Satisfaction (2014) · Episode list · Season 2 Trailer
[71]
Review: USA's 'Satisfaction' Is A Solid Series With A Sustainability ...
Jul 14, 2014 · Satisfaction follows the adventures of Neil Truman who, after realizing how dull his life has become, quits his job and upon returning home to ...
[72]
Review: 'Satisfaction' and 'Rush' sound a bit familiar
Jul 17, 2014 · A male prostitute in "Satisfaction" and a troubled but brilliant doctor in "Rush" on USA remind one of "Hung" and "House," respectively.
[73]
American Beauty Ending Explained: The Cultural Dissatisfaction Of ...
Jun 30, 2022 · "American Beauty" was meant to disassemble a very particular popular notion of high-comfort living that was under intense scrutiny throughout the 1990s.
[74]
Satisfaction (2025) - IMDb
Rating 8/10 (102) Set against the Greek isles, British composers Lola and Philip's relationship lingers in silence. When she meets magnetic Elena and brings her into the fold, ...
[75]
The Merchants Of Cool | FRONTLINE - PBS
FRONTLINE journeys into the world of the marketers of popular culture to teenagers. They spend their days sifting through reams of market research data.View online · Synopsis · Media Giants · Tour This Landscape
[76]
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/
[77]
https://www.discogs.com/release/2313903-Satisfaction-Satisfaction
[78]
Satisfaction by Narrow Head (Album, Shoegaze) - Rate Your Music
Rating 3.5 (1,221) · 30-day returnsMar 14, 2016 · Huge improvement from their 2014 EP, far removed. They don't rely on 90s grunge crutches nearly as much. Few misses and a strong, consistent sound overall.
[79]
https://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/narrow-head/satisfaction/
[80]
The best of Émile Zola | Emile Zola - The Guardian
Jan 20, 2009 · In La Bête Humaine, Jacques Lantier (Étienne's elder brother), is beset by a hereditary psychosis that conflates sexual desire with the urge to ...Missing: unsatisfied | Show results with:unsatisfied
[81]
The Lady Demands Satisfaction - Next Stage Press LLC.
Rating 5.0 (6) Farcical Fun! The Lady Demands Satisfaction is one of my favorite plays ever. Witty, fast and full of farcical fun, it allows for many opportunities to deliver ...
[82]
Satisfactory on Steam
Rating 5.0 (123,076) · 14-day returnsFactory Building: Experience building a huge factory from a first-person perspective. Automate and optimize it to perfection for your personal satisfaction. • ...
[83]
The Silent (R)evolution of SAT - Communications of the ACM
Jun 1, 2023 · SAT asks whether a given propositional formula is satisfiable. That is, can we set the formula's variables to values 1 (True) or 0 (False) in ...
[84]
None
Nothing is retrieved...<|separator|>
[85]
[PDF] The Boolean Satisfiability Problem: an overview of solving ... - Hal-Inria
May 19, 2021 · Satisfiable and unsatisfiable CNF formula. A CNF formula is satisfiable if there is an assignment of truth values to its variables so that at ...
[86]
[PDF] The Davis-Putnam-Logemann-Loveland Procedure
Many existing SAT solvers are based on the Davis-Putnam-Logemann-. Loveland procedure, or DPLL [Davis and Putnam, 1960, Davis et al., 1962]. It allows us to ...
[87]
An Extensible SAT-solver
### Confirmation
[88]
Logical Cryptanalysis as a SAT Problem | Journal of Automated ...
In this paper, we claim that one can feasibly encode the low-level properties of state-of-the-art cryptographic algorithms as SAT problems.
[89]
CDCL (Crypto) SAT solvers for cryptanalysis
general purpose search tools, that have been used in solving prob- lems from many different domains, such as verification, AI and cryptography [8], [34], [23].
[90]
(PDF) A History of Satisfiability - ResearchGate
Apr 12, 2017 · This chapter traces the links between the notion of Satisfiability and the attempts by mathematicians, philosophers, engineers, and scientists over the last ...
[91]
Constraint Satisfaction: An Emerging Paradigm - ScienceDirect.com
This chapter focuses on the emergence of constraint satisfaction, with constraint languages, as a new paradigm within artificial intelligence and computer ...
[92]
[PDF] 5 CONSTRAINT SATISFACTION PROBLEMS
Specific classes of constraint satisfaction problems occur throughout the history of computer science. ... Bounds constraints were incorporated into constraint ...
[93]
[PDF] Review of the Satisfaction With Life Scale
Abstract The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) was developed to assess satis- faction with the respondent's life as a whole. The scale does not assess ...
[94]
Estimating the influence of life satisfaction and positive affect on later ...
We show that adolescents and young adults who report higher life satisfaction or positive affect grow up to earn significantly higher levels of income later in ...Abstract · Sign Up For Pnas Alerts · Results<|separator|>
[95]
The relationship between areas of life satisfaction, personality, and ...
Sep 20, 2022 · Our current findings demonstrated that areas of life satisfaction are related to overall life satisfaction (bottom-up theory).
[96]
The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure - PubMed Central - NIH
Emphasizing a positive balance of affect to be happy implies that studies of hedonic brain circuits can advance the neuroscience of both pleasure and happiness.
[97]
Building a neuroscience of pleasure and well-being
Oct 24, 2011 · Our strategy combines new findings on brain mediators that generate the pleasure of sensations with evidence that human brains use many of the ...Sensory Pleasures: From... · Subcortical Hedonic Hotspots... · Incentive Salience As...