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The Meaning Maintenance Model: On the Coherence of Social Motivations

Heine, Steven J., Proulx, Travis, Vohs, Kathleen D.·2006·Personality and Social Psychology Review

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Abstract

The meaning maintenance model (MMM) proposes that people have a needfor meaning; that is, a need to perceive events through a prism of mental representations of expected relations that organizes their perceptions of the world. When people's sense of meaning is threatened, they reaffirm alternative representations as a way to regain meaning-a process termedfluid compensation. According to the model, people can reaffirm meaning in domains that are differentfrom the domain in which the threat occurred. Evidenceforfluid compensation can be observed following a variety of psychological threats, including most especially threats to the self, such as self-esteem threats, feelings of uncertainty, interpersonal rejection, and mortality salience. People respond to these diverse threats in highly similar ways, which suggests that a range of psychological motivations are expressions of a singular impulse to generate and maintain a sense of meaning.

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A lifespan perspective on positive affect fluctuations on purpose in life: findings from a 9-year longitudinal study
Chia, J. L., Lua, V. Y. Q., & Hartanto, A. (2025) · The Journal of Positive Psychology · doi:10.1080/17439760.2025.2542234 · Cited by 3
“That is, while fluctuations in PA may impact PIL – through both bottom-up (e.g. Heine et al., 2006; Orehek et al., 2011) and top-down influences (e.g. Clore et al., 2001; Fishbach & Labroo, 2007) – this effect may only become substantive in older adulthood.”
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“In addition, according to the meaning maintenance model, human beings need to maintain meaning when their perception of MIL is threatened (Heine et al., 2006).”
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“…et al., 1986) argues that cultural worldviews and self-esteem serve as defenses against mortality salience, while the Meaning Maintenance Model (Heine et al., 2006) argues that meaning can be maintained in the face of threats by bolstering self-esteem, certainty, belongingness, and symbolic…”
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“Such adverse social experiences may erode a coherent sense of self and intensify doubts about one’s worth and future (Heine et al., 2006; Jiang et al., 2020; Wagoner and Hogg, 2024).”
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“These threats to life, mobility and functioning can challenge an individual’s identity, meaning they can struggle to understand and make sense of their world, others and their changing self (Heine et al., 2006).”
Background
Σχέσεις ανάμεσα στο νόημα στη ζωή, τη θρησκευτικότητα και την ικανοποίηση από τη ζωή σε οικογένειες ατόμων με αναπηρία
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“The creation of meaningful relationships between ourselves, others, and experiences helps maintain self-esteem and a sense of belonging and permanence, which serve as key defenses against existential anxiety (Heine et al., 2006).”
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“Evolutionally speaking, this is an adaptive need that motivates human beings to identify reliable patterns in the environment, thereby avoiding uncertainty and guiding their decisions and actions to navigate through the world (Heine et al., 2006; Heintzelman & King, 2014; Steger, 2018).”
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“For example, menstruation and breastfeeding are frequently stigmatized, reflecting societal discomfort with female physiology (Heine et al., 2006).”
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“Both van Prooijen’s existential threat model (Van Prooijen, 2020) and Heine et al.’s (2006) meaning maintenance model are thus elaborations of Douglas et al.’s (2017) three motives to develop conspiracy beliefs.”
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“As this paper shows, when people are especially motivated to enhance their emotions, consistent with self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987) and the meaning maintenance model (Heine et al., 2006), four constellations of biases are especially likely to alleviate negative emotions and foster positive emotions.”
Background
Problemi della previsione in psichiatria
Angelozzi, A. (2021) · PSICOTERAPIA E SCIENZE UMANE · doi:10.3280/pu2021-004005 · Cited by 2
Conclusions and Challenges for Future Research
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“The ‘need for certainty’ also overlaps theoretically with the need for ‘understanding’, ‘trust’ and ‘cognitive closure’ (Fiske, 2004) and together represent an overarching need to form accurate mental representations of the social world (Heine et al., 2006).”
BackgroundInfluential
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Morality Provides Meaning
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Authors: Heine, S. J., Proulx, T., & Vohs, K. D.
Affiliations: University of British Columbia (CA)
University of Minnesota (US)
ORCID: Heine, Steven J.
Proulx, Travis
Vohs, Kathleen D.
Venue: Personality and Social Psychology Review
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2006-05
Volume: 10
Issue: 2
Pages: 88-110
ISSN: 1088-8683 (ISSN-L)
1532-7957
DOI: 10.1207/s15327957pspr1002_1
OpenAlex: W2156155183
Cited by: 1,437
References: 180
Citations by year: 2026: 108 · 2025: 106 · 2024: 92 · 2023: 90 · 2022: 101 · 2021: 100 · 2020: 123 · 2019: 86 · 2018: 60 · 2017: 73 · 2016: 62 · 2015: 74 · 2014: 75 · 2013: 72 · 2012: 61
FWCI: 2.68
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Personality and Social Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institutes of Health (5r01mh060155-04)
National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH060155-01A2)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Keywords: need for meaning, psychological threat, self-esteem threat, uncertainty, interpersonal rejection, mortality salience, social motivation, meaning maintenance
MeSH terms: Humans, Motivation, Self Concept, Semantics, Social Behavior, Symbolism

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The Meaning Maintenance Model: On the Coherence of Social Motivations

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