On the conflation of purpose and meaning in life: A qualitative study of high school and college student conceptions.
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| Title: | On the conflation of purpose and meaning in life: A qualitative study of high school and college student conceptions. |
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| Authors: | Ratner, Kaylin (AUTHOR), Burrow, Anthony L. (AUTHOR), Burd, Kayla A. (AUTHOR), Hill, Patrick L. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Applied Developmental Science. Oct-Dec 2021, Vol. 25 Issue 4, p364-384. 21p. 4 Charts. |
| Subjects: | High school students, Teenagers, Young adults, Qualitative research, Conception |
| Abstract: | A minimal amount of information is known about how adolescents and emerging adults construe purpose and meaning in life, leaving many researchers to assume youth think about these constructs consistent with scientific understandings. In this preregistered study, we compared adolescent and emerging adult conceptions of purpose and meaning using directed content analysis. High school and college students were randomly assigned to write about purpose, meaning, or a control topic. Themes mentioned within the written samples did not significantly differ across purpose and meaning conditions, and this pattern did not significantly vary between adolescents and emerging adults. However, many who wrote about meaning mentioned purpose explicitly, suggesting nuanced differentiation. These findings can inform how purpose and meaning are studied and the development of future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Applied Developmental Science is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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