Positive mood and social relatedness as information about meaning in life

abstract

• Meaning in life is widely considered a cornerstone of human functioning, but relatively little is known about the factors that influence judgments of meaning in life. Four studies examined positive affect (PA) and social relatedness as sources of information for meaning in life judgments. Study 1 (N=150) showed that relatedness need satisfaction (RNS) and PA each shared strong independent links to meaning in life. In Study 2 (N =63), loneliness moderated the effects of a positive mood induction on meaning in life ratings. In Study 3 (N=65), priming positive social relationships reduced the contribution of PA to subsequent judgments of meaning in life. In Study 4 (N= 95), relationship primes decreased reliance on PA and increased reliance on RNS compared to dessert primes. Results are discussed in terms of the value of integrating judgment processes in studies of meaning in life. 2009 Taylor & Francis.

authors

• Hicks, Joshua

published proceedings

• JOURNAL OF POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

author list (cited authors)

• Hicks, J. A., & King, L. A.

citation count

• 114

complete list of authors

• Hicks, Joshua A||King, Laura A

publication date

• January 2009

publisher

• Taylor & Francis  Publisher

published in

• Journal of Positive Psychology  Journal

keywords

• Meaning In Life
• Positive Affect
• Relatedness Need Satisfaction

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

• 10.1080/17439760903271108

start page

• 471

end page

• 482

volume

• 4

issue

• 6

URL

• http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439760903271108