Leveraging the Experience Sampling Method to Study Meaning in Everyday Life

Abstract

The science of meaning in life, dominated by retrospective trait assessments, has critically expanded our understanding of this important construct, but has limitations. The trait measurement approach does not allow a nuanced examination of feelings of meaning in life as they are experienced in everyday life, unfiltered by cognitive meaning making processes. In this chapter, we call for a broad integration of experience sampling methods (ESM) into the science of meaning in life to afford a better understanding of the ebbs and flows of this experience within person across situations. Research has identified within person variability in online feelings of meaning in life, highlighting the necessity of this approach. Initial integrations of the ESM into meaning in life research have provided a number of valuable contributions to our understanding of this construct, which we review in this chapter. Finally, we discuss distinctions between state and trait meaningfulness and the generative potential of integrating the ESM into the study of meaning in life.