L8 The Science of Meaning in Life Flashcards
Meaning IN Life
Difference between “of” and “in”
Types of well-being
- Eudemonic
2. Hedonic
Hedonia
Pursuing pleasure
Positive affect, life satisfaction
Eudaimonia
Taking part in activities that allow for the actualization of one’s skills, talents, and potential
Meaning and purpose in life
Philosophical distinction- Aristotle
Consequences for how we think about each type of well-being
Hedonic
- selfish/worthless to society
- quick and easy, but temporary
- associated with negative outcomes
Eudemonic
- societally valuable
- difficult to attain, requires effort/personal suffering
- rare
- yet, psychological research suggests a great deal of overlap, happiness and meaning in life are related
Different implications for Hedonia vs. Eudaimonia
Positive affect/life satisfaction
- stems from and leads to positive outcomes
- has societal value
Meaning in life
- doesn’t require effortful pursuit
- doesn’t involve suffering
- is common
Defining meaning in life
Lives may be experiences as meaningful when they are felt to have significance beyond the trivial or momentary, to have purpose, or to have a coherence that transcends chaos
Key words: significance, purpose, coherence
A subjective experience, measured thru self-report
3 common themes
- Purpose
- engagement in goal-directed pursuits - Significance
- mattering to others
- leaving a lasting legacy - Coherence
- the degree to which things make sense
Correlates of meaning in life measures
- decreased mortality, decreased risk of heart disease, reduced rate of age-related cognitive decline/Alzheimer’s, decreased suicidal ideation, lower incidence of psychological disorders
- increased preventative health behaviors and health outcomes, greater use of adaptive coping strategies, improved occupational adjustment, increased social appeal
Sources of meaning
Baumeister
- purpose, value, self-efficacy, self-worth
Identities, religious faith, cultural worldviews
Contribution to meaning
- family, happiness, friends
- self-acceptance, personal goals, self-worth, personal growth, helping others, intimacy & achievements, religious faith, justice/fairness
Relationships
Social relationships as foundational source of meaning in life
- lab exp., cyberball example, “the KKK won’t let me play”
- ostracism is still prevalent even if rejection comes from an out-group
Positive affect
Mood inductions
- negative, neutral, positive
Being in a good mood/ high positive affect is related to higher meaning in life ratings
But meaning in life does Not equal happiness
- the 7 pattern indicates some who are unhappy still claim a high level of meaning
The function of meaning in life
Meaning as information approach
- the feeling of meaning provides unique information about the presence of reliable patterns and coherence in the environment
- information = function in the environment in an adaptive way
Vividness ratings on pictures experiment
2 orders presented- one of which was seasonal
Prediction- if the adaptive info provided by feeling of meaning pertains to reliable connections, life will be rated as more meaningful after encounters with objectively coherent stimuli
