Positive affect and the experience of meaning in life.
Abstract
Six studies examined the role of positive affect (PA) in the experience of meaning in life (MIL). Study 1 showed strong relations between measures of mood, goal appraisals, and MIL. In multivariate analyses, PA was a stronger predictor of MIL than goal appraisals. In Study 2, the most consistent predictor of the experience of meaning in a day was the PA experienced that day. Later, global MIL was predicted by average daily PA, rather than average daily MIL. Study 3 demonstrated no prospective relations between measures of MIL and PA over 2 years. In Study 4, priming positive mood concepts enhanced MIL. In Study 5, manipulated positive mood enhanced ratings of MIL for those who were not given an attributional cue for their moods. In Study 6, PA was associated with a high level of distinction between meaningful and meaningless activities. Results indicate that positive moods may predispose individuals to feel that life is meaningful. In addition, positive moods may increase sensitivity to the meaning-relevance of a situation.
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Daily diary studies show that meaning in life varies from day to day.
“several daily diary studies show that meaning in life fluctuates on a daily basis”
From Commitment to a purpose in life: An antidote to the suffering by individuals with social anxiety disorder. (2013) · cites this paper as King, Hicks, Krull, & Del Gaiso, 2006
Hedonic and eudaimonic well-being indicators tend to be positively correlated and can influence one another, implying that they are not mutually exclusive but overlapping and distinct.
“Despite the contentious history between these two perspectives, hedonic and eudaimonic well-being indicators tend to be positively correlated and can influence one another implying that they are not mutually exclusive but overlapping and distinct (King et al., 2006; Waterman, 2008; Huta and Ryan, 2010).”
From The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: a meta-analysis (2014) · cites this paper as King et al., 2006
The care and protective tendencies displayed towards anthropomorphic objects strengthen the perception of life value.
“The care and protective tendencies displayed towards anthropomorphic objects strengthen the perception of life value [21,31].”
From Anthropomorphic Design in Mortality Salience Situations: Exploring Emotional and Non-Emotional Mechanisms Enhancing Consumer Purchase Intentions (2024) · cites this paper as [31]
Mortality salience challenges individuals' sense of life meaning, and anthropomorphic design, by deepening emotional investment, helps restore and enhance this sense of life meaning.
“Mortality salience challenges individuals’ sense of life meaning, and anthropomorphic design, by deepening emotional investment, helps restore and enhance this sense of life meaning.”
From Anthropomorphic Design in Mortality Salience Situations: Exploring Emotional and Non-Emotional Mechanisms Enhancing Consumer Purchase Intentions (2024) · cites this paper as [31]
Dispositional traits associated with extraversion and conscientiousness appear to enhance meaning, whereas neuroticism is associated with lower levels of meaning in life.
“Dispositional traits associated with extraversion and conscientiousness appear to enhance meaning, whereas neuroticism is associated with lower levels of meaning in life.”
From The Problem of Meaning in Personality Psychology from the Standpoints of Dispositional Traits, Characteristic Adaptations, and Life Stories (2010) · cites this paper as King, Hicks, Krull, & Del Gaiso, 2006
People who are experiencing positive emotion tend to report that their lives feel more meaningful to them, compared to individuals who experience lower levels of positive emotion, whether considering short-term situationally induced positive emotion or long-term trait-based dispositions towards positive emotionality.
“Whether considering the shortterm effects of a situationally induced experience of positive emotion or considering the long-term effects of trait-based dispositions towards positive emotionality , people who are experiencing positive emotion tend to report that their lives feel more meaningful to them, compared to individuals who experience lower levels of positive emotion (King,”
From The Problem of Meaning in Personality Psychology from the Standpoints of Dispositional Traits, Characteristic Adaptations, and Life Stories (2010) · cites this paper as King, Hicks, Krull, & Del Gaiso, 2006
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“Larsen and Ketelaar (1991) provided empirical support for the notion that extraversion can be thought of as a susceptibility to the experience of PA. Diener and Lucas (1999) presented evidence demonstrating a very strong relationship between extraversion and positive mood (see also DeNeve & Cooper,…”
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- Authors
- King, L. A., Hicks, J. A., Krull, J. L., & Del Gaiso, A. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Missouri (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 90
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 179-196
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2125475472
- Cited by
- 1,253
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 40 · 2025: 100 · 2024: 76 · 2023: 82 · 2022: 120 · 2021: 118 · 2020: 75 · 2019: 62 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 65 · 2016: 72 · 2015: 53 · 2014: 63 · 2013: 82 · 2012: 46
- FWCI
- 30.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH54142)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Optimism, Hope, and Well-being
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Keywords
- positive affect, meaning in life, positive mood, daily mood, meaningful activities, mood induction
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Affect, Attitude, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Prospective Studies, Social Behavior
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