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The Meaning Maintenance Model: On the Coherence of Social Motivations
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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“The creation and maintenance of meaning comprises a sense of self-continuity, a connection between the self, others and the environment (Baumeister and Vohs, 2002; Heine et al., 2006), and the feeling that one’s existence matters.”
From Collective Trauma and the Social Construction of Meaning (2018) · cites this paper as Heine et al., 2006
In the citing paper
“When a sense of meaning is threatened, the individual may compensate for an inability to reach one set of goals by shifting effort toward another set (known as fluid compensation; Heine et al., 2006; Proulx, 2012).”
From Extension of the Transdiagnostic Model to Focus on Intolerance of Uncertainty: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Treatment (2014) · cites this paper as Heine et al., 2006
In the citing paper
“Heine, Proulx, and Vohs (2006) proposed that the superordinate goal of humans is to generate a life with meaning.”
From Extension of the Transdiagnostic Model to Focus on Intolerance of Uncertainty: A Review of the Literature and Implications for Treatment (2014) · cites this paper as Heine, Proulx, and Vohs, 2006
In the citing paper
“Psychological models, such as the uncertainty-identity theory [156], meaning maintenance model [157], and compensatory control theory [158,159], have elaborated on how the defensive need to alleviate uncertainty leads to group identification, ideological inflexibility, and dogmatism.”
From Impact of Media-Induced Uncertainty on Mental Health: Narrative-Based Perspective. (2025) · cites this paper as [157]
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“The contextual embedded-ness of meaning structures is emphasised in Heine, Proulx, and Vohs’(2006) meaning maintenance model in which they argue that meaning is that what links people, places, objects and ideas.”
BackgroundProulx, T., & Inzlicht, M. (2012) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1080/1047840x.2012.734912 · Cited by 23
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“Individuals have a need for coherence, meaning, and control (Heine et al., 2006; Swann, 1983; Swann & Bosson, 2010), and for this reason, they seek out products that provide feedback consistent with their self-concept.”
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“On the one hand, the Meaning Maintenance Model (Heine et al., 2006 ) contends that finding meaning in life is inherently a cognitive process that requires a range of cognitive abilities and dimensions in order to sustain feelings of purpose, meaning, and happiness, all of which have a direct positive impact on an indi…”
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“This state urges people to engage in pursuit of meaning compensation, with the objective to achieve meaning maintenance (Heine et al., 2006; Hicks et al., 2010; Hirsh et al., 2012; Norton & Francesca, 2013; Proulx & Heine, 2009; Proulx et al., 2012; van Dijk et al., 2011).”
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“Thus, the cognitive processes and behavioural consequences of attempts to defend threatened beliefs have been well-documented (Festinger, 1957; Greenberg et al., 1990; Heine et al., 2006).”
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“If so, a retraction of the attitudeconsistent misinformation (about specific positive outcomes) might produce uncomfortable feelings because it calls one’s understanding into question (Heine et al., 2006; Weary & Edwards, 1996).”
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BackgroundRusso‐Netzer, P., & Icekson, T. (2023) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1053296 · Cited by 21
“org Experiences of unpredictable happenings may temporarily shake and challenge individuals’ sense of certainty, predictability, and control in life (Heine et al., 2006; Proulx and Heine, 2008).”
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“First, the meaning maintenance model holds that the compensation process is termed fl uid compensation (Heine et al., 2006).”
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“As noted by scholars, existential threats prompt a motivation for self-continuity, as a connection between self, other and the environment (Baumeister & Vohs, 2002; Heine et al., 2006).”
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“Hence, this appears to be a case of ‘fluid compensation’ (Allport, 1943; Heine et al., 2006).”
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“Meaning emerges from a sense of coherence, that things make sense 138 – 143 .”
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“Meaning or meaning in life is conceptualized as ongoing cognitive processes (Heine et al., 2006) comprising comprehension (i.”
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“” In organizations, such efforts range from “coping” to “sensemaking” (Heintzelman & King, 2014); from “ascribing” and “maintaining” (Heine et al., 2006) to “doing,” “updating,” and “sharing” (Lepisto, 2021) meanings as part of performing one’s tasks, roles, and jobs.”
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“McGregor (2003, 2006) argued that peoplecould compensate forfeelings ofthreating uncertainty by bolstering their attitudes which can render them more extreme than they were initially (see also Hart, 2014; Heine et al., 2006; Hogg, 2014; Horcajo et al., 2022; McGregor et al., 2001).”
BackgroundFinding meaning in us: The role of meaning in life in romantic relationships
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Gerten, J., & Topolinski, S. (2019) · Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2019.05.023 · Cited by 19
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“In the first step of this process, death anxiety positively predicts search for meaning, which is in line with the meaning maintenance model (Heine et al., 2006).”
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Identity negotiation processes amidst diversity
Polzer, J. T., & Caruso, H. M. (2008) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511753725.006 · Cited by 20
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“In life, consistency and coherence enhance meaning (Heine et al., 2006; Heintzelman et al., 2013).”
BackgroundThe Distance Between Selves: The Influence of Self-Discrepancy on Purpose in Life
Stanley, M., & Burrow, A. L. (2015) · Self and Identity · doi:10.1080/15298868.2015.1008564 · Cited by 14
“For example, work within the meaning maintenance model (Heine et al., 2006) proposes that individuals inherently seek coherent relations and connections within their worlds, and that these forged connections help to imbue life with a sense of purpose and meaning.”
BackgroundConsumer self-uncertainty increases price dependency
Chung, M., & Saini, R. (2021) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.11.054 · Cited by 20
Huang, Z., Zhang, L., Wang, J., Xu, L., Wang, T., Tang, Y. H., Li, Y., Guo, M., Xiong, Y., Wang, W., et al. (2022) · Heliyon · doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09282 · Cited by 18
“The Meaning Maintenance Model suggests that the relationship structure that individuals have plays a critical role in their acquisition of meaning (Heine et al., 2006).”
Neurobiology and Moral Mindset
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Examining the True Self as a Wellspring of Meaning
Schlegel, R. J., Smith, C. M., & Hirsch, K. A. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6527-6_14 · Cited by 16
Aubert‐Teillaud, B., Bran, A., & Vaidis, D. C. (2023) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2981 · Cited by 19
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“…role given to comprehension/coherence for the experience of meaning and psychological distress, as discussed by existential thinkers (Camus, 1955; Tillich, 1952) and contemporary psychologists (Heine et al., 2006; Heintzelman & King, 2014; Janoff-Bulman & Yopyk, 2004; Peterson & Flanders, 2002).”
BackgroundMotivated cultural worldview adherence and culturally loaded test performance
Landau, M. J., Greenberg, J., & Rothschild, Z. K. (2009) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167208329630 · Cited by 17
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“Secure relational attachment, belief in the meaning in life, might have provided Frankl with a sense of self-worth and buffered his death anxiety even in times of adversity (as in Heine et al., 2006; Vail et al., 2012).”
BackgroundCrafting One’s Life and its Relationship with Psychological Needs: A Scoping Review
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“…Life and its Relationship with Psychological… In addition to these three basic psychological needs, psychologists have frequently suggested that a sense that life is meaningful is a psychological need (Andersen et al., 2000; Baumeister, 1991; Frankl, 1959; Heine et al., 2006; Sheldon et al., 2001).”
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Meaning in work of secondary school teachers: A qualitative study
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Do You Reap What You Sow? The Effect of Cyberostracism on Moral Impurity
Poon, K. (2019) · Basic and Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/01973533.2019.1585353 · Cited by 18
“Cyberostracism is inherently ambiguous (e.g., Nezlek et al., 2012; Williams et al., 2000), and people are motivated to understand the causes of their experiences (Heine et al., 2006; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996).”
BackgroundLin, L. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01334 · Cited by 17
“This study attempted to address this issue with reference to meaning regulation theories (Heine et al., 2006; van Tilburg and Igou, 2011).”
BackgroundInfluentialCultures of Positivity: Interconnectedness as a Way of Being
Wissing, M. P., Schutte, L., & Fadiji, A. W. (2019) · International handbooks of quality-of-life · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-15367-0_1 · Cited by 18
Who do you think you are? Ingroup and outgroup sources of identity validation
Choi, E. U., & Hogg, M. A. (2020) · Journal of Theoretical Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/jts5.66 · Cited by 17
Moynihan, A. B., Igou, E. R., & van Tilburg, W. A. P. (2020) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.110295 · Cited by 18
“Alternatively, sexual sensation seeking and promiscuous attitudes may buttress precarious masculinity if used as a means of worldview defence (Heine et al., 2006).”
BackgroundHow does narcissism influence corruption? The moderating role of boredom
Gu, Z., He, Y., Liu, L., Liang, Y., Huang, L., Dang, J., Wei, C., Liu, Z., & Su, Q. (2021) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.111149 · Cited by 20
Rothmund, T., Bender, J., Nauroth, P., & Gollwitzer, M. (2015) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2125 · Cited by 17
Positive and Existential Psychological Approaches to the Experience of Meaning in Life
Kim, J., Seto, E., Davis, W. E., & Hicks, J. A. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0308-5_13 · Cited by 21
Romantic relationships as shared reality defense
Murray, S. L., Lamarche, V. M., & Seery, M. D. (2017) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2017.11.008 · Cited by 17
The Origins of Meaning: Objective Reality, the Unconscious Mind, and Awareness
Heintzelman, S. J., & King, L. A. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6527-6_7 · Cited by 17
Effects of meaning in life and of work on health in unemployment
Thill, S., Houssemand, C., & Pignault, A. (2020) · Health Psychology Open · doi:10.1177/2055102920967258 · Cited by 17
“An event is meaningful if a person perceives it as coherent with his or her beliefs or ideologies (Baumeister, 1991; Heine et al., 2006).”
BackgroundExistential neuroscience: a proximate explanation of religion as flexible meaning and palliative
Inzlicht, M., Tullett, A. M., & Good, M. (2011) · Religion, Brain & Behavior · doi:10.1080/2153599x.2011.653537 · Cited by 17
A process model of volunteer motivation
Neely, A. R., Lengnick‐Hall, M. L., & Evans, M. D. (2021) · Human Resource Management Review · doi:10.1016/j.hrmr.2021.100879 · Cited by 19
Russo‐Netzer, P., & Cohen, G. L. (2022) · The Journal of Positive Psychology · doi:10.1080/17439760.2022.2036794 · Cited by 18
“People are strongly motivated to feel in control and competent (Becker, 1964; Frankl, 1963), and they prefer clarity and predictability over ambiguity and uncertainty (e.g., Heine et al., 2006; see also, Gordon, 2003; Van Den Bos, 2001).”
BackgroundDefining, and understanding commitment to, activity streaks
Weathers, D., & Poehlman, T. A. (2023) · Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · doi:10.1007/s11747-023-00944-4 · Cited by 18
“Such cases may be consistent with the Meaning Maintenance Model (MMM), a fluid compensation model whereby a person whose meaning framework has been disrupted reacts by bolstering or reaf-firming other meaning frameworks that remain intact (Heine et al., 2006).”
Lian, C., & Chen, X. (2024) · Acta Psychologica · doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104180 · Cited by 18
Low‐Income Childless Young Adults' Marriage and Fertility Frameworks
Rackin, H., & Gibson‐Davis, C. M. (2017) · Journal of Marriage and the Family · doi:10.1111/jomf.12405 · Cited by 16
“This hypothesis is not directly tested by this work, but is consistent with research on meaning-making frameworks (Heine et al., 2006; Proulx & Heine, 2006, 2010).”
BackgroundResultInfluentialThe relationship of death anxiety defense mechanisms in terror management theory
Kexin, L. U., Wang, X., & Li, H. (2019) · Advances in Psychological Science · doi:10.3724/sp.j.1042.2019.00344 · Cited by 16
de Zavala, A. G. (2020) · Identity in a changing world · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-38270-4_12 · Cited by 21
Borawski, D., Siudak, A., Pawelec, A., Rozpara, B., & Zawada, M. (2020) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2020.110580 · Cited by 16
Meaning as a Buffer for Existential Anxiety
Kesebir, P., & Pyszczynski, T. (2014) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-0308-5_4 · Cited by 16
Destiny Is in the Details: Action Identification in the Construction and Destruction of Meaning
Michaels, J. L., Parkin, S. S., & Vallacher, R. R. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6527-6_8 · Cited by 19
Williams, M. (2016) · Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression · doi:10.1080/19434472.2016.1186718 · Cited by 16
“Recalling that Terror Management Theory is considered a subset of the Meaning Maintenance Model, the critical issue that tends to determine how individuals respond to a given scenario is not whether individuals’ fear of death is assuaged, but whether that scenario violates one’s meaning-making framework (Heine et al.,…”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSpiritual transcendence as a buffer against death anxiety
Piotrowski, J. P., Żemojtel-Piotrowska, M. A., & Clinton, A. B. (2018) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-018-9810-1 · Cited by 16
“Meaning Maintenance Theory (Heine et al. 2006), for example, explains results obtained by TMT researchers as a general process, termed Bfluid compensation^.”
BackgroundSupernatural beliefs: Considered adaptive and associated with psychological benefits
Boden, M. T. (2015) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2015.06.023 · Cited by 16
Terror Management Theory: A Practical Review of Research and Application
Arrowood, R. B., & Cox, C. R. (2020) · Brill Research Perspectives in Religion and Psychology · doi:10.1163/25897128-12340003 · Cited by 18
MEANING OF AWE IN JAPANESE (CON)TEXT: BEYOND FEAR AND RESPECT
Nakayama, M., & Uchida, Y. (2020) · PSYCHOLOGIA · doi:10.2117/psysoc.2020-b004 · Cited by 19
“Awe was also dissociable from fear: awe-related threats to one’s world view or internalized meaning systems are dissociable from mere fear (Heine et al., 2006).”
BackgroundPsychological Oneness: A Typology
Coomber, T., & Harré, N. (2021) · Review of General Psychology · doi:10.1177/10892680211034457 · Cited by 16
“…et al., 2014; Griffiths et al., 2008; Griffiths et al., 2011; Mayer et al., 2009; St John & MacDonald, 2007) and ‘meaning in life’ (Auhagen, 2000; Baumeister, 1991; Chamberlain & Zika, 1988; George & Park, 2016; Heine et al., 2006; Martela & Steger, 2016; Park, 2010; Zika & Chamberlain, 1992).”
BackgroundBorawski, D., Nowak, A., & Zakrzewska, A. (2022) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2022.111550 · Cited by 19
Jansma, A., van den Bos, K., & de Graaf, B. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.778894 · Cited by 15
Metadata
- Authors
- Heine, S. J., Proulx, T., & Vohs, K. D.
- Affiliations
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- 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
- 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
- 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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