ABSTRACT

The first edition of The Human Quest for Meaning was a major publication on the empirical research of meaning in life and its vital role in well-being, resilience, and psychotherapy. This new edition continues that quest and seeks to answer the questions, what is the meaning of life? How do we explain what constitutes meaningful relationships, work, and living?
The answers, as the eminent scholars and practitioners who contributed to this text find, are neither simple nor straightforward. While seeking to clarify subjective vs. objective meaning in 21 new and 7 revised chapters, the authors also address the differences in cultural contexts, and identify 8 different sources of meaning, as well as at least 6 different stages in the process of the search for meaning. They also address different perspectives, including positive psychology, self-determination, integrative, narrative, and relational perspectives, to ensure that readers obtain the most thorough information possible. Mental health practitioners will find the numerous meaning-centered interventions, such as the PURE and ABCDE methods, highly useful in their own work with facilitating healing and personal growth in their clients. The Human Quest for Meaning represents a bold new vision for the future of meaning-oriented research and applications. No one seeking to truly understand the human condition should be without it.

part I|273 pages

Theories

chapter 4|26 pages

Motivation, Meaning, and Wellness

A Self-Determination Perspective on the Creation and Internalization of Personal Meanings and Life Goals

chapter 5|17 pages

Meaning and Personality

chapter 6|17 pages

Positive Affect and Meaning in Life

The Intersection of Hedonism and Eudaimonia

chapter 7|21 pages

On the Distinction Between Subjective Well-Being and Meaning in Life

Regulatory Versus Reconstructive Functions in the Face of a Hostile World

chapter 8|20 pages

Experiencing Meaning in Life

Optimal Functioning at the Nexus of Well-Being, Psychopathology, and Spirituality

chapter 9|24 pages

The Meaning of Love

chapter 10|23 pages

Meaning and Death Attitudes

chapter 11|15 pages

Existential Well-Being and Health

chapter 12|25 pages

Relational Buddhism

A Psychological Quest for Meaning and Sustainable Happiness

part II|220 pages

Research

chapter 14|17 pages

The Construction of Meaning From Life Events

Empirical Studies of Personal Narratives

chapter 15|20 pages

Autobiographical Memory and Personal Meaning

Stable Versus Flexible Meanings of Remembered Life Experiences

chapter 16|21 pages

Life Meaning and Purpose in Life Among Chinese Adolescents

What Can We Learn From Chinese Studies in Hong Kong?

chapter 19|24 pages

Meaning in Life and Healthy Aging

part III|153 pages

Applications

chapter 22|24 pages

Clinical Approaches to Discrepancies in Meaning

Conceptualization, Assessment, and Treatment

chapter 24|19 pages

When Meaning Is Threatened

The Importance of Goal Adjustment for Psychological and Physical Health

chapter 25|14 pages

Pathways to Personal Transformation

Theoretical and Empirical Developments

chapter 26|12 pages

The Human Heart or Recovering the Meaning of Life

A Theory Integrating Sexuality, Meaning of Life, and Sense of Coherence Applied in Holistic Therapy