Family as a salient source of meaning in young adulthood

Five studies demonstrated the role of family relationships as an important source of perceived meaning in life. In Study 1 (n?=?50), 68% participants reported that their families were the single most significant contributor to personal meaning. Study 2 (n?=?231) participants ranked family above 12 likely sources of meaning. Studies 3 (n?=?87) and 4 (n?=?130) demonstrated that participants’ reports of their closeness to family (Study 3) and support from family (Study 4) predicted perceived meaning in life, even when controlling for several competing variables. Study 5 (n?=?261) ruled out social desirability as an alternative explanation to the proposed relationship between family and meaning. We conclude that for young adults, family relationships are a primary source of meaning in life and they contribute to their sense of meaning.     

The relationship between purpose and sources of meaning: A mixed methods study

This study examined the relationship between meaning and sources of meaning among a sample of South African university students (N = 139; female = 44 0.6%; mean age = 19.76, SD = 1.82). The students completed the Purpose in Life (PIL), the Sources of Meaning Profile-Revised (SOMP-R) measures, and naïve sketches. Results from the data analysis using correlational and regression analyses indicate the students’ purpose of life scores are accounted for by sources of meaning related to self-transcendence, collectivism, and individualism. The findings from the qualitative analysis highlights the importance of an individualist and collectivist focus during academic studies as a source of meaning. Students who report a more extensive network of meaningful sources are also more likely to indicate higher scores on purpose in life.     

Sources of life meaning among South African university students

This study explored the sources of meaning in life among a group of 243 South African university students, using a sequential exploratory mixed methods design. First, data from semi-structured questionnaires (n=40) were subjected to qualitative content analysis; next, from the emerging themes, a quantitative questionnaire was developed and administered to 203 students. Mean scores were computed and compared across gender and cultural groups. Relationships, especially with family, as well as hope, education, achievement and religion were found to be most important sources of meaning, followed by service, creative self-expression, material possessions, hobbies, health and pets. The qualitative analysis revealed that most of these sources were valued more for their perceived instrumental utility than for their intrinsic qualities.     

Do materialism,intrinsic aspirations,and meaning in life predict students’ meanings of education?

Though there is a deep literature on factors that predict college attendance and on the effects of college attendance on students’ development, there has been little research on what education actually means to students themselves. This study was conducted to examine whether materialism, intrinsic aspirations, and the search for meaning in life predicted a set of ten meanings that students are known to associate with their education. Multiple regression analyses indicated that students who were high on materialism viewed their education as an opportunity to gain independence, a chance to establish relationships, and a source of stress. Individuals high on intrinsic aspirations were more likely to see education as a time for career preparation, gaining independence, exploring future life directions, learning, engaging in personal growth, establishing social relationships, and learning skills to make a difference in the world, but they were less likely to view education as an escape from future responsibilities. As expected, the findings also revealed that individuals who sought meaning in life viewed education as a way to gain independence, explore life directions, engage in personal growth, establish relationships, learn skills that will help change the world, and escape future responsibilities.     

Ethnic Identity in Emerging Adults in Sub‐Saharan Africa and the USA,and Its Associations with Psychological Well‐Being

Ethnic identity as a social dimension of identity is argued to be developmentally important for psychological well‐being. However, the relationships between these constructs are mainly examined in Western contexts, amongst dominant–non‐dominant groups. We investigate ethnic identity across the mainstream group of a prototypical Western society (the USA) and several multi‐ethnic sub‐Saharan African countries (Cameroon, Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia), as well as how it relates to psychological well‐being. A total of 1255 university students (61.8% females, M_age = 20.94 years, SD = 2.97) completed a questionnaire with ethnic identity and psychological well‐being measures. Results indicated that ethnic identity was most salient in two different South African ethnocultural samples and least salient in a mainstream US sample. These results suggest that groups that are more exposed to ethnic strain in multicultural societies tend to have more salient ethnic identities. Furthermore, the underlying structure in the ethnic identity psychological well‐being relationship was similar across groups. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the problem of the meaning of life in ��Chinese Philosophy��

The goal of “(modern) Chinese Philosophy” established during the period of the May 4th Movement is to reestablish the meaning of life for Chinese people. However, because it takes the approach of interpreting Chinese thinking through a Western lens, thus forming a discourse pattern of “Chinese A is Western B,” which is only capable of manifesting Western culture, “Chinese Philosophy” is made logically impossible as the ideological source from which modern Chinese thinkers could construct the meaning of life. The ideological source of the still lasting traditional lifestyle is Yili Xue 义理学 (The Learning of Righteousness and Principles); whereas that of modern life, which was established as an imitation of the West, is Western culture. Neither of them takes “Chinese Philosophy” as its ideological source. Therefore, “Chinese Philosophy” is excluded from the construction of the meaning of life, and falls into the dilemma of life meaning.     

To discover or to create: metaphors and the true self

Three studies examined how endorsement of self‐discovery and self‐creation metaphors influences belief in the true self and its use as meaning source. It was hypothesized that discovery metaphors contribute to belief in the true self and bolster the relationship between true self‐knowledge and meaning. Study 1 supported the hypothesis that discovery is positively associated with belief in the true self among a sample of college students (N = 311). Studies 2 and 3 extended the analysis by showing that the discovery metaphor also facilitates perceptions of meaning and the use of the true self specifically as a source of meaning in a second sample of college students (N = 75) as well as an adult sample of university employees (N = 173). Implications for understanding what enables the true self to infuse life with meaning, as well as an individual differences approach to metaphoric cognition, are discussed.     

Jivacide,Zombies and Jivanmuktas: the meaning of life in the Bhagavad Gitā

In discussing the meaning of life in the Bhagavad Gitā two obvious questions arise: first, what is the meaning of ‘the meaning of life'?, and second, how does that meaning apply to the Bhagavad Gitā? In Part I of this brief paper I will attempt to answer the first question by focusing on one of the common meanings of that phrase; in Part II, I will apply that very common meaning to the Bhagavad Gitā; and in the third and final part, I will point to a puzzle, the paradox of the jivanmukta, that would seem to follow from the discussion in the first two parts of this paper.

My own feeling is that the concept of ‘the meaning of life’ is a Western invention [1]. This being so, perhaps it would be wise to probe for that concept and its meaning among Western authors. We turn first, then, to one ancient writer, Aristotle of Stagira, and conclude Part I with a modern writer also concerned with the meaning of life, Albert Camus.     

Sense of meaning and study perseverance and completion: a brief report

The study examines sense of meaning influences on study perseverance and course completion among students within a faculty of management sciences at a South African university (n = 40). Participants were selected for high scores on the Purpose in life (PIL) scale (n = 20; 50%) and contrasting low scores on the same (n = 20; 50%) (age range = 27 to 30 years, females = 73%, majority ethnicity = 70% Sotho speaking). Data were analysed using independent-samples t-test group comparison procedure. The results suggest that a high sense of meaning can explain study perseverance and completion.     

Mindfulness and psychological well-being among black South African university students and their relatives

This study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and psychological well-being in a convenience sample of black South African students (n = 203) and their parents and other relatives (n = 204) (66.1% = female; age range 18–73). The students self-reported on their mindfulness on the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and psychological well-being on the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Adult Trait Hope Scale and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. A multivariate regression model was specified and analysed via structural equation modelling in Mplus 7.3. Results revealed that mindfulness scores strongly predicted elevated levels of meaning and positive affect, and lowered levels of negative effect, and were moderately strong predictors of life satisfaction and hope. The findings imply that mindfulness likely plays an important role in relation to the psychological well-being of cross-generational African culture community members.     

Sense of meaning and academic performance: A brief report

This study examined sense of meaning and academic performance among a sample of South African university students (n = 210, mean age = 19.49, SD = 1.99, female = 54.29%). Data on meaning were collected using the Purpose in Life Test. End of semester marks served as the academic attainment measure. Simple regression analysis with post-hoc independent-samples t-tests revealed that meaning predicts academic performance. No significant differences between genders emerged from the data. Sense of meaning is an important factor in supporting students to enhance their academic performance.     

Meaning in life for individuals with physical disabilities

What makes your life meaningful?" is a question previous researchers explored with people of various ages, but not of individuals who have significant physical impairments. In this study, 26 individuals with physical disabilities were asked to describe what makes their lives meaningful. Analysis showed human relationships were the most frequently reported source of meaning in life, the sources being family members, friends, and people in the community. The second most frequently cited meaning was service, specifically, helping and educating others, such as other people with physical disabilities.     

汉语歧义句的加工

通过两个实验,对汉语歧义句多种解释的意义频率和语境位置在句子歧义解析过程中的效应进行了考察。实验结果表明：（１）前语境为被试提供了某种预期信息,它对句子歧义解析的效应大于后语境;（２）在句子歧义解析过程中,不管有语境或无语境,不管是前语境或后语境,被试提取歧义句的主要意思比提取次要意思快;（３）歧义句的多种解释的激活,有一个时间进程,在短延迟间隔条件下,歧义句的主要意思可以被激活并形成表征,但次要意思的激活和表征则需要较长的时间     

Comprehension of Ambiguous Sentences in Non-Disabled and Disabled Adolescents

If students are to effectively comprehend a text, they must be able to resolve ambiguities. Recent studies of adolescents with learning disabilities suggest multiple reasons for failure to resolve ambiguous structures. Furthermore, previous research does not clearly indicate the age at which syntactic ambiguities can be resolved consistently. The present study investigated similarities and differences in the comprehension of ambiguous sentences in adolescents with and without learning disabilities. Four groups representing four ability levels were sampled in a public high schools. Two additional groups of students with learning disabilities were sampled at a private residential school. The public school group that attained academic honors was superior to all other groups in paraphrasing the meanings of ambiguous sentences. Two other college bound public school groups were superior to a non-college bound group in the public system. These findings suggest a continuum of ability to interpret amiguous structures across a range of 16 year old subjects. The learning disabled private school group with stronger verbal than non-verbal abilities was also significantly better than the non-college bound disabled public school gorup. This superiority of the learning disabled over the non-college bound group suggest a continuum of ability to interpret ambiguous structures in a population of students with various disabilites. The study found associations between knowledge of syntax and knowledge of lexical meaning and interpretation of ambigous materials. There also was a strong relationships between the ability to paraphrase the meanings of ambiguous sentences and overall ability in reading comprehension.     

师范生职业使命感与学业满意度及生活满意度的关系：人生意义感的作用

采取职业使命感量表、人生意义感量表、学业满意度量表和生活满意度量表对679名免费师范生进行调查,考察免费师范生的职业使命感与其学业满意度和生活满意度的关系,以及人生意义感在其关系中的作用。结果表明:(1)师范生的职业使命感不存在性别和年级差异。(2)师范生的职业使命感对其人生意义体验、学业满意度和生活满意度均存在显著的预测作用。(3)人生意义体验在职业使命感与学业满意度之间起显著的部分中介作用;人生意义体验也在职业使命感与生活满意度之间起显著的部分中介作用。(4)人生意义寻求在职业使命感与学业满意度、生活满意度之间的调节作用未得到支持;人生意义寻求在人生意义体验与学业满意度、生活满意度之间的调节作用也未得到支持,这可能体现了中西文化的差异。     

Creating a Pindh: Place-Making within a Sikh Diasporic Community in Malaya

This paper examines a diaspora group's claiming and contesting of physical space and actively engaging in host country multiracial spaces, I co-opted the Pindh, a Sikh concept incorporating relationships with the landscape and social structure, re-defining its original meaning to encompass this unique consolidation of identity, home and belonging. Addressing the use and meaning of space and the transformation of Peraktown, the geographical location, I explore this transformation to a place of meaning through the practices of everyday life within the Sikh community. It describes the concepts of spatial relationships and their impact on the construction and solidification of the Peraktown Sikh community in contrast to their inherited connection to the land and inherent romantic nostalgia for Punjab, as they recreated the meanings it contained and inscribed these on the physical map of the town. In the four spaces addressed, the home, the Gurdwara, the school and the gendered work spaces, I demonstrate the ways that space altered, through claiming, adoption and subversion. The lens of the Pindh offers a uniquely Sikh way to view and analyse the constitution of common identity and a place to belong. The Peraktown Sikhs extend the discourse of diaspora beyond postcolonial and Western modes of thought of being ‘other’ yet simultaneously belonging ‘here', ‘back there’ and to multiple places of home.     

人际关系和自我概念对生命意义的影响：一项追踪研究

对1087名大学生进行为期1年的追踪研究,考察人际关系和自我概念对生命意义的影响,以及自我概念在人际关系与生命意义间的中介效应。结果显示：(1)人际关系、自我概念和生命意义之间存在同时性和继时性正相关;(2)在时间点1和时间点2,人际关系、自我概念和生命意义均两两相互预测;(3)人际关系和自我影响均影响生命意义,以及在人际关系与生命意义的关系中,自我概念起部分中介作用。即人际关系通过自我概念进而影响生命意义体验。结果表明,可以通过改善人际关系和提高自我概念来提升个体的生命意义感。即带着一颗自我肯定之心,积极参与到社会互动中去。     

Unarticulated meaning

It is a common experience of mental life that we come to articulate meanings which we had initially grasped in only a sketchy way. In this paper, I consider how this idea of an initially unarticulated meaning may fit in a general theory of mental representation. I propose to identify unarticulated meanings with what I callspecific concepts, which are quite similar to Rosch's categories of basic objects and are distinct both from images and generic concepts (which come to articulate meanings). I argue that unarticulated meaning is non-representational in an important respect, a claim which relies on a distinction amonglevels of representation.     

Ratings of the familiarity of idioms’ figurative meanings and the likelihood of literal meanings among U.S. college students

Samples of college students from three states (Ohio, New Hampshire, Illinois) rated 390 idioms on familiarity of their figurative meanings. The Illinois samples also rated the likelihood of encountering the idioms’ literal meanings. Results suggested some modest regional differences in idiom familiarity, and consistent with Popiel and McRae (1988), the likelihood of encountering an idiom’s literal meaning is relatively independent of the familiarity of its figurative meaning. The 314 idioms rated by more than 75% of the subjects are listed with the idioms’ familiarity ratings, as are the 20 most and least familiar idioms for each of the three states. The 248 idioms rated by at least 75% of the Illinois subjects and the idioms’ figurative and literal ratings are also presented.