The Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale: A tripartite approach to measuring meaning in life

Stress, savouring, and coping: The role of savouring in psychological adjustment following a stressful life event

“…Consistent with our prediction, bivariate correlations showed that savouring related positively to positive coping, a higher order coping response that includes meaning‐focused coping responses such as positive reframing and acceptance. Such meaning‐focused responses are potentially ways for a person to reduce the discrepancy between appraised and global meanings and restore a sense that their life matters, has purpose, and is comprehensible (George & Park, ; Park et al, ). Thus, it appears that people who tend to use meaning‐focused coping tend to also use savouring, which makes sense considering savouring has the potential to restore global meanings as people instigate, identify, and focus on experiences in their environment that they judge to be positive.…”

“…Future research should also, where possible, control for variables that might underlie savouring, such as optimism, and focus on improving our understanding of how the different temporal orientations of savouring might operate in times of stress. To further our knowledge of savouring in times of stress, it would be useful to consider savouring more closely in relation to meaning‐making theory by examining savouring in relation to global meaning violations (Park et al, ) and the multiple dimensions of existential meaning in life (George & Park, ). This line of research is in need of a measure of savouring that conceptualizes savouring as a situational meaning‐focused coping response.…”

Meaning and death‐thought accessibility

“…Meaning has been defined in various ways, but there is general agreement that it consists of feelings of coherence, significance, and purpose (George & Park, ; Heintzelman & King, ; Martela & Steger, ). However, we posit that insufficiently precise conceptualizations and measurements of meaning – particularly when mortality is made salient – may obscure important differences about the role of meaning in terror management functions, such as managing death‐related cognitions.…”

Making Time Matter: A Review of Research on Time and Meaning

“…Whereas some definitions have focused specifically on life goals (McKnight & Kashdan, ; Ryff, ), feelings of significance (Crumbaugh & Maholick, ), or understanding (Heintzelman & King, ), other definitions are broader in scope. For instance, Steger (, p. 165) argued: “Meaning (in life) provides us with the sense that our lives matter, that they make sense, and that they are more than the sum of our seconds, days, and years.” King, Hicks, Krull, and Del Gaiso (, p. 180) noted that “lives may be experienced as meaningful when they are felt to have a significance beyond the trivial or momentary, to have purpose, or to have a coherence that transcends chaos.” Recently, George and Park (, p. 206) depicted meaning as “the extent to which one's life is experienced as making sense, as being directed and motivated by valued goals, and as mattering in the world.”…”

“…At a foundational level, meaning involves linking experiences and events across time and space (Baumeister, ). Indeed, Baumeister and Vohs (, p. 608) put forth that “the essence of meaning is connection.” Building on this idea, the following sections focus on how time can be spent so as to forge greater connections in ways that enhance the three dimensions of meaning in life: purpose, mattering, and comprehension (George & Park, ; Heintzelman & King, ; King et al., ; Martela & Steger, ). First, creating connections to the self across time (so as to create a clear picture of one's true self) facilitates a sense of purpose.…”