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Cited by 367Psychological Well-being and Life SatisfactionIdentity, Memory, and TherapyPersonality Traits and Psychology

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 76 of the 78 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Thine own self: True self-concept accessibility and meaning in life

Open access
Schlegel, Rebecca J., Hicks, Joshua A., Arndt, Jamie, King, Laura A.·2009·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
DOI 10.1037/a0014060PMC PMC4714566
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Abstract

A number of philosophical and psychological theories suggest the true self is an important contributor to well-being. The present research examined whether the cognitive accessibility of the true self-concept would predict the experience of meaning in life. To ensure that any observed effects were due to the true self-concept rather than to the self-concept more generally, the authors used actual self-concept accessibility as a control variable in all studies. True and actual self-concepts were defined as including those traits that are enacted around close others vs. most others (Studies 1 through 3) or as traits that refer to "who you really are" vs. "who you are during most of your activities" (Studies 4 and 5), respectively. Studies 1, 2, and 4 showed that individual differences in true self-concept accessibility, but not differences in actual self-concept accessibility, predicted meaning in life. Studies 3 and 5 showed that priming traits related to the true self-concept enhanced perceptions of meaning in life. Implications for the study of the true self-concept and authenticity are discussed.

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Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Becker E 1971 The birth and death of meaning New York Free Press
  2. Horney K 1942 Self-analysis Oxford England Norton & Co
  3. Horney K 1950 Neurosis and human growth; the struggle toward sef-realization Oxford, England W. W. Norton
  4. Macquarrie John 1972 Existentialism London Penguin Books
  5. McAdams DP 1985 Power, Intimacy, and the Life Story: Personological Inquiries into Identity New York Guilford Press

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Metadata

Authors
Schlegel, R. J., Hicks, J. A., Arndt, J., & King, L. A.
Affiliations
University of Missouri (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2009
Volume
96
Issue
2
Pages
473-490
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
DOI
10.1037/a0014060
PMC
PMC4714566
OpenAlex
W1974054520
Cited by
367
References
78
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 25 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 15
FWCI
14.74
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (T32-AA13526)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords
meaning in life, authenticity, well-being, close relationships, self-perception
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Cognition, Existentialism, Female, Humans, Male, Self Concept, Young Adult

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