Internalized family and cultural messages, such as rewarded cynical humor, can influence one's set point for happiness and lead to a preference for unhappiness.

“I grew up in a home where um cynical humor was rewarded and I've learned over the years in part — through discussions with Jim Zaki and and others like — I'm working on it — not all my humor cynical but I don't like cynicism it bums me out it doesn't feel good”