Abstract
Meaning is a central feature of human life. Our overarching proposition is that self-regulation helps facilitate meaning in life. We propose that purposeful, effortful, and directive actions that regulate selfish impulses are necessary to continually develop a sense of meaning in life. We explain how self-regulatory processes map onto this process: the drive for meaning is governed by internalized standards of meaning, people monitor their experiences to ensure a fit between their experiences and standards of meaning, and strength is required for deliberative behaviors aimed at reaffirming and regaining meaning. Moreover, we outline various self-regulatory pathways to gain meaning via coherence, significance, and purpose. Finally, we suggest various ways to test and expand our model and hypotheses.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 95-106 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Review of General Psychology |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2017 American Psychological Association.
Keywords
- Meaning
- Self-regulation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology (all)