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More Education, More Purpose in Life? A Comparison of Purpose Across Adults with Different Levels of Education

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  • Rachel Sumner

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

There is an abundance of research demonstrating the benefits associated with having a sense of purpose in life, but much of this work utilizes academic (high school or college students) or well-educated adult samples. This study compared adults who graduated from college to adults with no or some college experience on a number of dimensions related to purpose development, including: the process of exploration (purpose pathway), overall level of purpose, and the content of one’s purpose (purpose orientation). The relationship between purpose and psychological assets such as agency and subjective well-being was also compared across groups. Results demonstrated that there were no differences by education level with regard to overall level of purpose or one’s purpose pathways, but education predicted purpose orientation and agency, even when controlling for purpose. The lack of difference in purpose between adults with different levels of education bodes well for the field, which has relied heavily on college student samples. Implications for existing and future research on purpose in life are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Rachel Sumner, 2017. "More Education, More Purpose in Life? A Comparison of Purpose Across Adults with Different Levels of Education," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 12(1), pages 17-34, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ariqol:v:12:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11482-016-9448-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s11482-016-9448-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Anthony Burrow & Rachel Sumner & Anthony Ong, 2014. "Perceived Change in Life Satisfaction and Daily Negative Affect: The Moderating Role of Purpose in Life," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 15(3), pages 579-592, June.
    2. Peterson, Robert A, 2001. "On the Use of College Students in Social Science Research: Insights from a Second-Order Meta-analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 28(3), pages 450-461, December.
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