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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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Storying away self-doubt: Can narratives dispel threats to the self?
Jennings, L. E., & McLean, K. C. (2013) · Journal of Research in Personality · doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2013.02.006 · Cited by 13
Pütten, A. M. R.-V. D., Straßmann, C., & Mara, M. (2017) · IEEE RO-MAN · doi:10.1109/roman.2017.8172452 · Cited by 12
Validation of Korean Version of Working As Meaning Inventory
최환규, & Lee, J. M. (2017) · 한국심리학회지 사회및성격 · doi:10.21193/kjspp.2017.31.4.001 · Cited by 12
Engaging with life: Synchronicity experiences as a pathway to meaning and personal growth
Russo‐Netzer, P., & Icekson, T. (2020) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-019-00595-1 · Cited by 15
“…Mount Carmel, 31905 Haifa, Israel; MP., Shikmim 7980400, Israel 3 School of Behavioral Sciences, Peres Academic Center, Israel; Departments of Management and Education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel clarity and order over ambiguity and uncertainty (e.g., Heine et al. 2006).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialWhat Indicates Your Life is Meaningful? A New Measure for the Indicators of Meaning in Life (3IML)
Shuv‐Ami, A., & Bareket‐Bojmel, L. (2020) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-020-00244-6 · Cited by 13
Yuan, Z., Xiang, Y., & Chen, Z. (2021) · International Journal of Mental Health Promotion · doi:10.32604/ijmhp.2021.012787 · Cited by 12
Tales From the Dark Side: The Dark Tetrad of Personality, Supernatural, and Scientific Belief
Schofield, M. B., Roberts, B. L. H., Harvey, C., Baker, I. S., & Crouch, G. (2021) · Journal of Humanistic Psychology · doi:10.1177/00221678211000621 · Cited by 12
“While belief in science has been seen to negatively correlate with religiosity (Farias et al., 2013), it has also been seen as a replacement for religious belief as a source of comfort (Heine et al., 2006).”
BackgroundPsychological Resources for Sustainable Lifestyles
Hunecke, M. (2022) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-16752-2_3 · Cited by 13
Making Interpersonal Meaning: Significant Others in Mind in Transference
Przybylinski, E., & Andersen, S. M. (2012) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00460.x · Cited by 12
The formative capacity of momentous events and leadership development
Olivares, O. J. (2011) · Leadership & Organization Development Journal · doi:10.1108/01437731111183766 · Cited by 12
“Kuhn, 1996; Piaget, 1960); rather, the momentous event disrupts one’s relational framework such that an alternative meaning framework is eventually asserted (Heine et al., 2006); that is, eventually new meaningful relational structures are created; thus, the momentous event becomes transformational (Bennis and Thomas,…”
BackgroundInfluentialSleegers, W. W. A., & Proulx, T. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01568 · Cited by 16
“According to the meaning maintenance model (MMM; Heine et al., 2006; Proulx and Inzlicht, 2012), any inconsistency between experience and expectation evokes a syndrome of negative arousal that motivates compensation efforts.”
MethodSelf-citationChen, L., Benjamin, R., Lai, A., & Heine, S. (2022) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/kuhy6 · Cited by 14
Self-citationSubjective consistency increases trust
Nowak, A. K., Biesaga, M., Ziembowicz, K., Baran, T., & Winkielman, P. (2023) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-023-32034-4 · Cited by 13
Positive Psychology’s Existential Crisis
Tongeren, D. R. V. (2024) · International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology · doi:10.1007/s41042-024-00184-z · Cited by 12
“…other branches of psychology to explore (e.g., social psychology: terror management theory, Pyszczynski et al.,. 2015 ; meaning maintenance model, Heine et al., 2006), positive psychology does not fully incorporate the necessary “big ques - tions” of human life (e.g., freedom, isolation,…”
Zhu, L., Huang, M., Fang, Z., Tong, J., Pan, Z., Hua, L., Dong, P., Wen, L., Chang, W., Yao, Y., et al. (2025) · Psychology Research and Behavior Management · doi:10.2147/prbm.s505802 · Cited by 11
“The meaning maintenance model 62 further supports our findings, suggesting that threatened self-esteem can drive individuals, particularly singleton children, to seek compensatory affirmation through aggressive actions.”
Moss, S. A., Wilson, S. G., Irons, M., & Naivalu, C. (2017) · Stress and Health · doi:10.1002/smi.2747 · Cited by 13
“According to the meaning maintenance model, this sense of meaning diminishes a range of biases (Heine et al., 2006).”
BackgroundCzyżowska, N. (2021) · Kwartalnik Naukowy Fides et Ratio · doi:10.34766/fetr.v48i4.921 · Cited by 11
Dispositional awe, meaning in life, and socially responsible consumption
Jing, H. (2023) · Service Industries Journal · doi:10.1080/02642069.2022.2154757 · Cited by 12
“The meaning management model (Heine et al., 2006) suggests that people are motivated to behave with purpose to maintain their existing fulfilled-meaning states.”
‘Stigma: the cul‐de‐sac of the double bind’ the perspective of T urkiye; a phenomenological study
Yüksel, Ç., Bingöl, F. B., & Oflaz, F. (2013) · Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing · doi:10.1111/jpm.12100 · Cited by 12
Silveira, S., Gutyrchik, E., Wetherell, G. A., Bao, Y., Pöppel, E., Blautzik, J., Reiser, M. F., Frey, D., & Graupmann, V. (2014) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.2076 · Cited by 11
An unscathed past in the face of death: Mortality salience reduces individuals' regrets
Rudert, S. C., Reutner, L., Walker, M., & Greifeneder, R. (2015) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2014.12.006 · Cited by 11
The weight of being: Psychological perspectives on the existential moment
Hirsh, J. B. (2009) · New Ideas in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2009.03.001 · Cited by 11
Profound Versus Superficial Coping With Mortality Threats
Quirin, M., Bode, R. C., Luckey, U., Pyszczynski, T., & Kühl, J. (2014) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167214536928 · Cited by 11
“Perhaps most notably, the meaning maintenance model (MMM; Heine et al., 2006; see also Proulx & Inzlicht, 2012) proposes that human beings naturally seek and construct relational frameworks within themselves, in the outside world, and between themselves and the outside world.”
BackgroundInfluentialCompensatory Institutional Trust: A “Dark Side” of Trust
Shockley, E., & Shepherd, S. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-22261-5_11 · Cited by 11
Ratner, K., Burrow, A. L., & Thoemmes, F. J. (2016) · Royal Society Open Science · doi:10.1098/rsos.160431 · Cited by 10
“[11], the meaning maintenance model (MMM; [17]) might account for why this exposure–response relationship may be occurring.”
BackgroundInfluential
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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