IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nathum/v6y2022i5d10.1038_s41562-021-01283-6.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Experiential appreciation as a pathway to meaning in life

Author

Listed:
  • Jinhyung Kim

    (Sogang University)

  • Patricia Holte

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Frank Martela

    (Aalto University)

  • Colin Shanahan

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Zhanhong Li

    (Tsinghua University)

  • Hong Zhang

    (Nanjing University)

  • Nikolett Eisenbeck

    (Universidad de Sevilla)

  • David F. Carreno

    (Universidad de Almería)

  • Rebecca J. Schlegel

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Joshua A. Hicks

    (Texas A&M University)

Abstract

A key research program within the meaning in life (MIL) literature aims to identify the key contributors to MIL. The experience of existential mattering, purpose in life and a sense of coherence are currently posited as three primary contributors to MIL. However, it is unclear whether they encompass all information people consider when judging MIL. Based on the ideas of classic and contemporary MIL scholars, the current research examines whether valuing one’s life experiences, or experiential appreciation, constitutes another unique contributor to MIL. Across seven studies, we find support for the idea that experiential appreciation uniquely predicts subjective judgements of MIL, even after accounting for the contribution of mattering, purpose and coherence to these types of evaluations. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that valuing one’s experiences is uniquely tied to perceptions of meaning. Implications for the incorporation of experiential appreciation as a fundamental antecedent of MIL are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Jinhyung Kim & Patricia Holte & Frank Martela & Colin Shanahan & Zhanhong Li & Hong Zhang & Nikolett Eisenbeck & David F. Carreno & Rebecca J. Schlegel & Joshua A. Hicks, 2022. "Experiential appreciation as a pathway to meaning in life," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(5), pages 677-690, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:6:y:2022:i:5:d:10.1038_s41562-021-01283-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01283-6
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01283-6
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41562-021-01283-6?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wim Muijnck, 2013. "The Meaning of Lives and the Meaning of Things," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 1291-1307, August.
    2. Michael Steger & Todd Kashdan, 2007. "Stability and specificity of meaning in life and life satisfaction over one year," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 8(2), pages 161-179, June.
    3. Neal Krause, 2003. "Religious Meaning and Subjective Well-Being in Late Life," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 58(3), pages 160-170.
    4. Rudd, Melanie & Vohs, Kathleen D. & Aaker, Jennifer, 2012. "Awe Expands People's Perception of Time, Alters Decision Making, and Enhances Well-Being," Research Papers 2095, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Edward C. Chang, 2024. "Beyond Dispositional Optimism and Pessimism: Does the Tripartite Model of Meaning in Life Matter in Predicting Future Well-Being in Adults?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(5), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Zhiwei Zhou & Wei Qi & Qinqhuan He & Jie Wen & Miao Miao, 2024. "Which One is the Best for Evaluating the Multidimensional Structure of Meaning in Life Among Chinese: A Comparison of Three Multidimensional Scales," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 19(4), pages 1791-1810, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huang, Qian & Chen, Juan & Li, Ruoxi & Liu, Jingtong, 2024. "Experiencing awe, engaging in extreme sports: Incidental awe as an effective promoter for extreme sports engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    2. Leiv Gabrielsen & Pål Ulleberg & Reidulf Watten, 2012. "The Adolescent Life Goal Profile Scale: Development of a New Scale for Measurements of Life Goals Among Young People," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 13(6), pages 1053-1072, December.
    3. Septianto, Felix & Ye, Sheng & Northey, Gavin, 2021. "The effectiveness of advertising images in promoting experiential offerings: An emotional response approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 344-352.
    4. Quang Tran, Tuyen & Quy Nguyen, Thanh & Vu Van, Huong & Thanh Doan, Tinh, 2015. "Religiosity and life satisfaction among old people: Evidence from a transitional country," MPRA Paper 81360, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Jun 2015.
    5. Monika Ardelt, 2016. "Disentangling the Relations Between Wisdom and Different Types of Well-Being in Old Age: Findings from a Short-Term Longitudinal Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 1963-1984, October.
    6. Choi, Dayeon & Seo, Yuri & Septianto, Felix & Ko, Eunju, 2022. "Luxury customization and self-authenticity: Implications for consumer wellbeing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 243-252.
    7. Rosa Mª Baños & Lorena Desdentado & Mª Dolores Vara & Tamara Escrivá-Martínez & Rocío Herrero & Marta Miragall & José M. Tomás, 2023. "How the COVID-19 Pandemic and its Consequences Affect the Presence of and Search for Meaning of Life: A Longitudinal Study," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 17-33, January.
    8. Seon, Youngwoon & Smith-Adcock, Sondra, 2023. "Adolescents’ meaning in life as a resilience factor between bullying victimization and life satisfaction," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    9. Huang, Li-Hsuan, 2019. "Well-being and volunteering: Evidence from aging societies in Asia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 229(C), pages 172-180.
    10. Steven Tsun-Wai Chu & Helene Hoi-Lam Fung, 2021. "Is the Search for Meaning Related to the Presence of Meaning? Moderators of the Longitudinal Relationship," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 127-145, January.
    11. Hui-Chuan Hsu, 2010. "Trajectory of Life Satisfaction and its Relationship with Subjective Economic Status and Successful Aging," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 99(3), pages 455-468, December.
    12. Jun Wei & Cong Yi & Yonghe Ti & Shi Yu, 2024. "The Implications of Meaning in Life on College Adjustment Among Chinese University Freshmen: The Indirect Effects via Academic Motivation," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 1-22, August.
    13. Zoua M. Vang & Feng Hou & Katharine Elder, 2019. "Perceived Religious Discrimination, Religiosity, and Life Satisfaction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 1913-1932, August.
    14. Kelcie D. Willis & Tamara Nelson & Oswaldo Moreno, 2019. "Death Anxiety, Religious Doubt, and Depressive Symptoms across Race in Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-14, September.
    15. Tuyen Quang Tran & Huong Vu, 2018. "A microeconometric analysis of housing and life satisfaction among the Vietnamese elderly," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(2), pages 849-867, March.
    16. Malabika Sahoo & Sumita Mishra & Sasmita Mishra, 2018. "Influence of Group Composition on Participant Reactions to Training: A Study in an Indian Power Transmission Organization," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 43(3), pages 141-155, August.
    17. Antonio Crego & José Ramón Yela & Rita Ozores-Pérez & Pablo Riesco-Matías & María Ángeles Gómez-Martínez, 2022. "Eudaimonic and Uncertainty Metaphors About Life are Associated with Meaningfulness, Experiential Avoidance, Mental Health and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(8), pages 4119-4146, December.
    18. E. Bodner & Y. Bergman & S. Cohen-Fridel, 2014. "Do Attachment Styles Affect the Presence and Search for Meaning in Life?," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(5), pages 1041-1059, October.
    19. Samuel Stroope & Scott Draper & Andrew Whitehead, 2013. "Images of a Loving God and Sense of Meaning in Life," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 111(1), pages 25-44, March.
    20. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2020. "Project Earthrise: Inspiring Creativity, Kindness and Imagination in Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-23, September.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:6:y:2022:i:5:d:10.1038_s41562-021-01283-6. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.