The Wikipedia article mentions further study showing that in some important disability cases, yes, indeed, the "happiness baseline" could move.
> In his archival data analysis, Lucas found evidence that it is possible for someone’s subjective well-being set point to change drastically, such as in the case of individuals who acquire a severe, long term disability.[15] However, as Diener, Lucas, and Scollon point out, the amount of fluctuation a person experiences around their set point is largely dependent on the individual’s ability to adapt
But what I find interesting is the overall underlying argument that for most people, we have a happiness baseline that is only slightly moved by external events.
> In his archival data analysis, Lucas found evidence that it is possible for someone’s subjective well-being set point to change drastically, such as in the case of individuals who acquire a severe, long term disability.[15] However, as Diener, Lucas, and Scollon point out, the amount of fluctuation a person experiences around their set point is largely dependent on the individual’s ability to adapt
But what I find interesting is the overall underlying argument that for most people, we have a happiness baseline that is only slightly moved by external events.