Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Complex Experiences of Meaning in Life: Individual Differences Among Sociodemographic Variables, Sources of Meaning and Psychological Functioning

  • Published:
Social Indicators Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recent findings have shown that existential experiences are complex and, at least theoretically, it could be separated into several different categories (meaningfulness, crisis of meaning, existential indifference, and existential conflict). In this study, we sought to examine in a large Brazilian sample (N = 3,034 subjects, from 22 Brazilian states) the plausibility of existence of these categories and how people inserted on them would differ in terms of sociodemographic variables and psychological functioning (engagement with sources of meaning and scores on a set of dispositional and well-being constructs). Our results showed the existence of all four categories of meaning. Men were more frequently classified into the existentially indifferent and crisis of meaning groups. The meaningfulness group presented higher scores in all sources of meaning when compared to other groups, whereas the existentially indifferent group presented the lowest scores. A highly diverse pattern of relationships between the sources of meaning and the levels of meaningfulness for the different categories of meaning was found. Significant differences between the existential indifference and the existential conflict groups were found for subjective happiness, life satisfaction and self-esteem but not found for optimism, pessimism, hope (agency and pathways), and self-efficacy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdi, H. (2007). Bonferroni and Šidák corrections for multiple comparisons. In N. J. Salkind (Ed.), Encyclopedia of measurement and statistics (pp. 103–107). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Antonovsky, A. (1993). The structure and properties of the Sense of Coherence Scale. Social Science and Medicine, 36(1), 725–733. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(93)90033-Z.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bastianello, M. R., Zanon, C., Pacico, J. C., Reppold, C., & Hutz, C.S. (in press). Optimism, self-esteem, and personality: adaptation and validation of the Revised Life Orientation Test LOT-R. Psico-USF.

  • Battista, J., & Almond, R. (1973). The development of meaning in life. Psychiatry, 36(4), 409–427. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4756415.

  • Bauer-Wu, S., & Farran, C. J. (2005). Meaning in life and psycho-spiritual functioning: A comparison of breast cancer survivor and healthy women. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 23(2), 172–190. doi:10.1177/0898010105275927.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2002). Optimism. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 231–243). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J., & Cohen, P. (1983). Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Compton, W. C. (2000). Meaningfulness as a mediator of subjective well-being. Psychological Reports, 87(1), 156–160. doi:10.2466/pr0.2000.87.1.156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crumbaugh, J. C., & Maholick, L. T. (1964). An experimental study in existentialism: The psychometric approach to Frankl’s concept of noogenic neurosis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 20(1), 589–596. doi:10.1002/1097-4679(196404)20:2<200:A.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crumbaugh, J. C. (1968). Cross-validation of purpose in life test based on Frankl's concepts. Joumal of lndividual Psychologv, 24(1), 74–81. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4385494.

  • Damásio, B. F., Schnell, T., & Koller, S. H. (2013). Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (SoMe): Psychometric properties and sociodemographic findings in a large Brazilian sample. Acta de Investigación Psicológica, 3(3), 1205–1227. http://www.scielo.org.mx/pdf/aip/v3n3/v3n3a2.pdf.

  • Damásio, B. F., Zanon, C., & Koller, S. H. (2014). Validation and psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Subjective Happiness Scale. Universitas Psychologica, 13(1), 1–13. doi:10.11144/Javeriana.UPSY13-1.vppb.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Debats, D. L., van der Lubbe, P. M., & Wezeman, F. R. A. (1993). On the psychometric properties of the Life Regard Index (LRI): A measure of meaningful life. An evaluation in three independent samples based on the Dutch version. Personality and Individual Differences, 14(2), 337–345. doi:10.1016/0191-8869(93)90132-M.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeWitz, S. J., Woolsey, M. L., & Walsh, W. B. (2009). College student retention: An exploration of the relationship between self-efficacy beliefs and purpose in life among college students. Journal of College Student Development, 50(1), 19–34. doi:10.1353/csd.0.0049.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction with Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71–75. doi:10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, M. J., & Holden, R. R. (2001). Coping, meaning in life and suicidal manifestations examining gender differences. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(12), 1517–1534. doi:10.1002/jclp.1114.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A. (2003). Personal goals, life meaning, and virtue: Wellsprings of a positive life. In C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (pp. 105–128). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Emmons, R. A., & Shelton, C. M. (2002). Gratitude and the science of positive psychology. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 459–471). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fillion, L., Duval, S., Dumont, S., Gagnon, P., Tremblay, I., Bairati, I., et al. (2009). Impact of meaning-centered intervention on job satisfaction and on quality of life among palliative care nurses. Psycho-oncology, 18(1), 1300–1310. doi:10.1002/pon.1513.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frankl, V. E. (1963). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to Logotherapy. New York: Washington Square Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankl, V. E. (1978). The unheard cry for meaning: Psychotherapy and humanism. New York: Washington Square Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Glück, J., & Blcuk, S. (2013). The MORE life experience model: A theory of development of personal wisdom. In M. Ferrari & N. M. Weststrate (Eds.), The scientific study of personal wisdom: From contemplative tradition to neuroscience (pp. 75–98). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gouveia, V. V., Milfont, T., Fonseca, P. N., & de Miranda Coelho, J. A. P. (2009). Life satisfaction in Brazil: Testing the psychometric properties of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in five Brazilian samples. Social Indicators Research, 90(2), 267–277. doi:10.1007/s11205-008-9257-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haukoos, J. S., & Lewis, R. J. (2005). Advanced statistics: Bootstrapping confidence intervals for statistics with “difficult” distributions. Academic Emergency Medicine, 12(4), 360–365. doi:10.1197/j.aem.2004.11.018.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heine, S. J., Proulx, T., & Vohs, K. D. (2006). The meaning maintenance model: On the coherence of social motivations. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(2), 88–110. doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr1002_1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ho, M. Y., Cheung, F. M., & Cheung, S. F. (2010). The role of meaning in life and optimism in promoting well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(1), 658–663. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2010.01.008.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hutz, C. S., & Zanon, C. (2011). Revisão da adaptação, validação e normatização da escala de autoestima de Rosenberg. Avaliação Psicológica, 10(1), 41–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • King, L. A., Hicks, J. A., Krull, J. L., & Del Gaiso, A. K. (2006). Positive affect and the experience of meaning in life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90(1), 179–196. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.90.1.179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46(1), 137–155. doi:10.1023/A:1006824100041.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mascaro, N., & Rosen, D. H. (2005). Existential meaning‘s role in the enhancement of hope and prevention of depressive symptoms. Journal of Personality, 73(4), 985–1014. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2005.00336.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKnight, P. E., & Kashdan, T. B. (2009). Purpose in life as a system that creates and sustains health and well-being: An integrative, testable theory. Review of General Psychology, 13(3), 242–251. doi:10.1037/a0017152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMahan, E. A., & Renken, M. D. (2011). Eudaimonic conceptions of well-being, meaning in life, and self-reported well-being: Initial test of a mediational model. Personality and Individual Differences, 51(5), 589–594. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2011.05.020.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Melton, A. M. A., & Schulenberg, S. E. (2007). On the relationship between meaning in life and boredom proneness: Examining a Logotherapy postulate. Psychological Reports, 101(1), 1016–1022. doi:10.2466/pr0.101.4.1016-1022.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pacico, J. C., Bastianello, M. R., Zanon, C., & Hutz, C.S. (in press). Adaptation and validation of the dispositional hope scale for adolescents. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica.

  • Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J.-Y., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2003). Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(5), 879–903. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.879.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rathi, N., & Rastogi, R. (2007). Meaning in life and psychological well-being in preadolescents and adolescents. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology, 33(1), 31–38. http://medind.nic.in/jak/t07/i1/jakt07i1p31.pdf.

  • Robinson, C., & Snipes, K. (2009). Hope, optimism and self-efficacy: A system of competence and control enhancing African American college Students academic well-being. Multiple Linear Regression Viewpoints, 35(2), 16–26. http://mlrv.ua.edu/2009/vol35_2/Robinson_Snipes_proof_2.pdf.

  • Rosenberg, M. (1989). Society and the adolescent self-image, revised edn. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ryff, C. D., & Singer, B. H. (2006). Know thyself and become what you are: A eudaimonic approach to psychological well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9(1), 13–39. doi:10.1007/s10902-006-9019-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scannell, E. D., Allen, F. C. L., & Burton, J. (2002). Meaning in life and positive and negative well-being. North American Journal of Psychology, 4(1), 93–112.

  • Scheier, M. F., Carver, C. S., & Bridges, M. W. (1994). Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem)—a reevaluation of the Life Orientation Test. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(6), 1063–1078. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1063.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnell, T. (2009). The Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life Questionnaire (SoMe): Relations to demographics and well-being. Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(6), 483–499. doi:10.1080/17439760903271074.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnell, T. (2010). Existential indifference: Another quality of meaning in life. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 50(1), 351–373. doi:10.1177/0022167809360259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnell, T. (2011). Individual differences in meaning-making: Considering the variety of sources of meaning, their density and diversity. Personality and Individual Differences, 51(1), 667–673. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2011.06.006.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnell, T., & Becker, P. (2006). Personality and meaning in life. Personality and Individual Differences, 41(1), 117–129. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2005.11.030.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnell, T., & Becker, P. (2007). Der Fragebogen zu Lebensbedeutungen und Lebenssinn (LeBe) [The Sources of Meaning and Meaning in Life questionnaires]. Göttingen, Germany: Hogrefe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R., Boehmer, S., Luszczynska, A., Mohamed, N. E., & Knoll, N. (2005). Dispositional self-efficacy as a personal resource factor in coping after surgery. Personality and Individual Differences, 39(4), 807–818. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2004.12.016.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzer, R., & Jerusalem, M. (1995). Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale. In J. Weinman, S. Wright, & M. Johnston (Eds.), Measures in health psychology: A user’s portfolio. Causal and control beliefs (pp. 35–37). Windsor: Nfer-Nelson.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silveira, A. C., Castro, T. G., & Gomes, W. B. (2011). Adaptação da escala de autoabsorção para adultos brasileiros [Adaptation of the Self-Absorption Scale for Brazilian adults]. Interação em Psicologia, 15(1), 1–10. http://ojs.c3sl.ufpr.br/ojs2/index.php/psicologia/article/view/17472/16504.

  • Snyder, C. R., Harris, C., Anderson, J. R., Holleran, S. A., Irving, L. M., Sigmon, S. X., et al. (1991). The will and the ways: Development and validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 60(4), 570–585.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snyder, C. R., Rand, K. L., & Sigmon, D. R. (2002). Hope theory: A member of the positive psychology family. In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Psychology (pp. 257–276). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steger, M. F. (2009). Meaning in life. In S. J. Lopez, (Ed.), Encyclopedia of positive psychology (Vol. 2., pp. 605–610). Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

  • Steger, M. F., & Frazier, P. (2005). Meaning in life: One link in the chain from religiousness to well-being. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(4), 574–582. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.52.4.574.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006). The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 53(1), 80–93. doi:10.1037/0022-0167.53.1.80.

  • Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2012). Using multivariate statistics (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teixeira, M. A. P. & Dias, A. C. G. (2005). Propriedades psicométricas da versão traduzida para o português da Escala de Autoeficácia Geral Percebida de Ralph Schwarzer [Psychometric properties of the Brazilian-portuguese translated version of the Ralph Schwarzer’s Perceived Self-efficacy Scale]. In Instituto Brasileiro de Avaliação Psicológica (Ed.), Abstracts of the Second Brazilian Congress of Psychological Assessment. Gramado: IBAP.

  • Van Ranst, N., & Marcoen, A. (2000). Structural components of personal meaning in life and their relationship with death attitudes and coping mechanisms in late adulthood. In G. T. Reker & K. Chamberlain (Eds.), Exploring existential meaning: Optimizing human development across the life span (pp. 59–74). Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Zika, S., & Chamberlain, K. (1992). On the relation between meaning in life and psychological well-being. British Journal of Psychology, 83(1), 133–145. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8295.1992.tb02429.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank three anonymous reviewers for their valuable commentaries on previous drafts of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychometrics, Institute of Psychology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Pasteur Avenue, 250, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 22290-902, Brazil

    Bruno Figueiredo Damásio

  2. Institute of Psychology, Graduate Program of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Ramiros Barcelos Street, 2600/104, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil

    Silvia Helena Koller

Authors
  1. Bruno Figueiredo Damásio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Silvia Helena Koller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bruno Figueiredo Damásio.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Damásio, B.F., Koller, S.H. Complex Experiences of Meaning in Life: Individual Differences Among Sociodemographic Variables, Sources of Meaning and Psychological Functioning. Soc Indic Res 123, 161–181 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-014-0726-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-014-0726-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation