Meaning in Life PowerPoint PDF

Meaning in Life  An important distinction to make at the outset pertains to the difference between meaning of life and meaning in life. The first is a theological question: Why are we here? Why are human lives designed in this way? These cannot be answered through the framework o...

Meaning in Life  An important distinction to make at the outset pertains to the difference between meaning of life and meaning in life. The first is a theological question: Why are we here? Why are human lives designed in this way? These cannot be answered through the framework of psychology. The second is a psychological and individual question: what makes our lives meaningful? Drawing on research into meaning in life, recently advanced by positive psychology scholars.  Frankl (1963) is widely credited as being a forerunner in the study of meaning. After surviving a Nazi concentration camp in World War II, Frankl recognised that finding meaning and purpose while in captivity helped him endure his ordeal. He spent the remainder of his life writing about the importance of meaning in people’s lives, and developed Logotherapy (Frankl, 1986), a meaning-centred therapeutic approach. Later work by Steger (2012) and Wong (2012a) and their colleagues further developed the concept theoretically and empirically. Drawing on Frankl’s Logotherapy, Wong (2012b) also developed the Meaning-Centred Counselling and Therapy model.  Today, meaning in life is considered a fundamental topic in existential psychology, and is incorporated as a key component in several positive psychology wellbeing models Defining meaning in life Meaning in life is defined as the degree to which an individual experiences his or her life as making sense, being guided and driven by worthy goals, and mattering in the world (King, Heintzelman, & Ward, 2016).  Meaning in life includes three components (Heintzelman & King, 2014): Comprehension is the cognitive facet of meaning in life. It refers to the degree to which individuals understand their lives and experience a sense of coherence. High comprehension is experienced when we feel that our lives make sense, things seem clear, fit well, and feel that they are “as they ought to be”. When we experience low comprehension, life seems unclear, incoherent or fragmented.  Purpose is the behavioural component of meaning in life. It represents the extent to which a person experiences life as being directed and motivated by worthy life- goals. High purpose is felt when we have a clear sense of direction in our lives, and the goals that we aim to achieve. Low purpose manifests itself in a sense of aimlessness.  Mattering is the emotional component of meaning in life, which refers to the degree to which individuals feel that their existence matters: it is of significance, and has value or impact. High mattering is experienced when we feel that our life, goals or actions make a difference. Low mattering occurs when we feel that our existence carries little significance, and nonexistence would make no difference in the world  Meaning in life shapes perception, action and goal striving, which highlights its importance and explains its inclusion in wellbeing models. Wong (2012a) argued that, without having a sense of - meaning and purpose, people would experience life as “being on a ship without a rudder” THE NEED TO ASSIGN MEANING Frankl (1986) maintained that we have an innate need to ascribe meaning to events, experiences, people and other aspects of our lives. Terror Management Theory (Becker, 1973) suggests that our need to create meaning occurs on the back of our existential understanding that our existence is temporary. According to the theory, assigning meaning to life events is a way of managing death anxiety which enables us to maintain psychological security. Becker (1973) argued that in order to cope with aspects of life such as suffering, inadequacy and death Meaning allows us to gain a feeling of value, specialness and usefulness, hence giving us symbolic immortality. THE QUEST FOR A MEANINGFUL LIFE Meaning in life is a changing and dynamic experience. The search for meaning in life is often triggered by an existential crisis (Wong, 2010). This could entail facing death, experiencing a tragic event, a misfortune or finding oneself on a major crossroads. The act of finding our life’s meaning is inherently subjective. Wong (2010) argued that the quest for meaning requires a meaning mindset – the capacity for reflection, self-awareness and self-evaluation. Finding areas of dissatisfaction can trigger a renewed search for meaning, and can prompt significant changes in our life-goals and the associated courses of action. SOURCES OF MEANING Achievement or fulfilment; Relationship; Intimacy; Religion or spirituality; Self-transcendence or altruism; Self- acceptance; Fairness or respect. Interestingly, in recent work (Ward & King, 2016) socioeconomic status was found to impinge on meaning in life. Large-scale studies show a positive relationship between meaning in life and educational and financial resources. It seems that income may function in a similar way to social relationships or religion in predicting higher levels of meaning in life THE BENEFITS OF MEANING IN LIFE A substantial body of empirical work has demonstrated that high meaning in life is associated with wellbeing as well as with a range of other positive outcomes. A recent extensive review by Steger (2017) summarised this literature, of which highlights are provided below: Wellbeing : Meaning in life has been correlated with happiness, wellbeing, vitality and high morale, sense of control, autonomy, environmental mastery, positive perceptions of the world, religious affiliation and spirituality.  Meaning and its component purpose are strongly linked to goal pursuit, motivation and engagement with goals, the attainment of valued life-goals, as well as with self- actualisation and self transcendence. On the deficiency side, the lack of meaning in life is correlated with negative affect, rumination, adverse life events, hassles and grief, stress, hostility, and several mental illness conditions (depression, suicidal ideation, anxiety, substance abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)).  Health and longevity Meaning in life has been linked to a host of physical health outcomes Improved immune function, lower cholesterol, better glucose control, improved cardiovascular health, more conducive health behaviours, reduced use of health services, quicker recovery from illness and better adjustment to chronic conditions (Cross, Hofschneider, Grimm, & Pressman, 2018). A large-scale longitudinal survey in the USA found that those who perceived their lives as purposeful had lower risk of mortality during the 14-year follow-up measurement (Hill & Turiano, 2014).  Relationships Meaning in life is positively related to various relational aspects: the degree to which the need for relatedness is met, sense of belonging, closeness to others, being supported by family, and social appeal. People with high meaning in life seem to function well in their social domains as family members, neighbours and friends. It is noteworthy that social isolation and exclusion reduce meaning in life (Steger, 2017). Viktor Frankl https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Cey-UZX-E Viktor Frankl While in the camp he describes that first comes a cold detached curiosity concerning one's fate. Then comes strategies to preserve the remnants of one's life, though the chances of surviving are slight. Hunger, humiliation, fear and deep anger at injustice are rendered tolerable by closely guarded images of beloved persons, by religion, by a grim sense of humor, and even by glimpses of the healing beauties of nature —a tree or a sunset. Viktor Frankl Frankl is fond of quoting Nietzsche, "He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how.“ In the concentration camp every circumstance conspires to make the prisoner lose his hold. All the familiar goals in life are snatched away. What alone remains is "the last of human freedoms"—the ability to "choose one's attitude in a given set of circumstances." Logotherapy Logotherapy focuses on the future On the meanings to be fulfilled by the patient in his future In comparison with psychoanalysis, this method less retrospective Logotherapy The patient is reoriented toward the meaning of his life. And to make him aware of this meaning can contribute much to his ability to overcome his neurosis. Logotherapy Why the name Logotherapy? Logos is a Greek word which denotes "meaning." Logotherapy, or, as it has been called by some , "The Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy," focuses on the meaning of human existence as well as on man's search for such a meaning. Logotherapy According to logotherapy, this striving to find a meaning in one's life is the primary motivational force in man. Frankl stresses on a will to meaning in contrast to the pleasure principle (or, the will to pleasure) on which Freudian psychoanalysis is centered as well or to the will to power on which Adlerian psychology, using the term "striving for superiority," is focused Logotherapy – The Will to Meaning Statistical survey, of 7,948 students at forty-eight colleges, was conducted by social scientists from Johns Hopkins University Asked what they considered "very important" to them now, 16 percent of the students checked "making a lot of money"; 78 percent said their first goal was "finding a purpose and meaning to my life." Logotherapy Case: A high-ranking American diplomat came to VF’s office in Vienna in order to continue psychoanalytic treatment which he had begun five years previously with an analyst in New York. At the outset VF asked him why he thought he should be analyzed, why his analysis had been started in the first place Logotherapy The patient was discontented with his career and found it most difficult to comply with American foreign policy His analyst, however, had told him again and again that he should try to reconcile himself with his father; because the government of the U.S. as well as his superiors were "nothing but" father images Logotherapy His dissatisfaction with his job was due to the hatred he unconsciously harbored toward his father Through an analysis lasting five years, the patient had been prompted more and more to accept his analyst's interpretations Logotherapy After a few interviews, it was clear that his will to meaning was frustrated by his vocation, and he actually longed to be engaged in some other kind of work As there was no reason for not giving up his profession and embarking on a different one, he did so, with most gratifying results. Logotherapy Now, man's search for meaning may arouse inner tension rather than inner equilibrium. Acc to Frankl such tension is an indispensable prerequisite of mental health Logotherapy There is nothing in the world, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one's life. There is much wisdom in the words of Nietzsche: "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." Logotherapy In the Nazi camps, one could have witnessed that those who knew that there was a task waiting for them to fulfill were most apt to survive Same conclusion has since been reached by other authors of books on concentration camps, and also by psychiatric investigations into Japanese, North Korean and North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camps. Logotherapy When VF was taken to the camp of Auschwitz, a manuscript of his ready for publication was confiscated. Certainly, his deep desire to write this manuscript anew helped him to survive the rigors of the camps he was in “ For instance, when in a camp in Bavaria I fell ill with typhus fever, I jotted down on little scraps of paper many notes intended to enable me to rewrite the manuscript, should I live to the day of liberation. I am sure that this reconstruction of my lost manuscript in the dark barracks of a Bavarian concentration camp assisted me in overcoming the danger of cardiovascular collapse” Logotherapy When there is lack of awareness of a meaning worth living for. They are haunted by the experience of their inner emptiness, a void within themselves; they are caught in that situation which VF has called the "existential vacuum." Logotherapy – The Meaning of Life The meaning of life usually differs from man to man, from day to day and from hour to hour. What matters, therefore, is not the meaning of life in general but rather the specific meaning of a person's life at a given moment Logotherapy – The Meaning of Life To put the question in general terms would be comparable to the question posed to a chess champion: "Tell me, Master, what is the best move in the world?" There simply is no such thing as the best or even a good move apart from a particular situation in a game and the particular personality of one's opponent Logotherapy – The Meaning of Life The same holds for human existence. One should not search for an abstract meaning of life. Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment Logotherapy – The Meaning of Life Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone's task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it Logotherapy – The Essence of Existence It denotes the fact that being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself—be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter The more one forgets himself—by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love—the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. Logotherapy – The Essence of Existence The meaning of life always changes, but that it never ceases to be. According to logotherapy, we can discover this meaning in life in three different ways: (1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering. Logotherapy – The Essence of Existence The first, the way of achievement or accomplishment, is quite obvious The second way of finding a meaning in life is by experiencing something—such as goodness, truth and beauty —by experiencing nature and culture or, last but not least, by experiencing another human being in his very uniqueness;—by loving him. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Love Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him Logotherapy – The Meaning of Love By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and Even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized but yet ought to be actualized Logotherapy – The Meaning of Love Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and of what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering The third way of finding a meaning in life is by suffering We may also find meaning in life even when confronted with facing a fate that cannot be changed. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a triumph, to turn one's predicament into a human achievement When we are no longer able to change a situation— just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer —we are challenged to change ourselves. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering Case: Once, an elderly general practitioner consulted VF because of his severe depression. He could not overcome the loss of his wife who had died two years before and whom he had loved above all else. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering Now, how could VF help him? What should VF tell him? VF refrained from telling him anything but instead confronted him with the question "What would have happened, Doctor, if you had died first, and your wife would have had to survive you?" "Oh," he said, "for her this would have been terrible; how she would have suffered!" Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering Whereupon I replied, "You see, Doctor, such a suffering has been spared her, and it was you who have spared her this suffering—to be sure, at the price that now you have to survive and mourn her." Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering He said no word but shook my hand and calmly left my office. In some way, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering “Of course, this was no therapy in the proper sense since, first, his despair was no disease; and second, I could not change his fate; I could not revive his wife” But in that moment VF did succeed in changing his attitude toward his unalterable fate in as much as from that time on he could at least see a meaning in his suffering. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering It is one of the basic tenets of logotherapy that man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life. That is why man is even ready to suffer, on the condition, to be sure, that his suffering has a meaning. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering In no way is suffering necessary to find meaning. VF only insisted that meaning is possible even in spite of suffering—provided, certainly, that the suffering is unavoidable. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering If it were avoidable, however, the meaningful thing to do would be to remove its cause, be it psychological, biological or political. In accepting this challenge to suffer bravely, life has a meaning up to the last moment, and it retains this meaning literally to the end. In other words, life's meaning is an unconditional one, for it even includes the potential meaning of unavoidable suffering. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering “Let me recall that which was perhaps the deepest experience I had in the concentration camp. The odds of surviving the camp were no more than one in twenty-eight, as can easily be verified by exact statistics. It did not even seem possible, let alone probable, that the manuscript of my first book, which I had hidden in my coat when I arrived at Auschwitz, would ever be rescued” Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering Thus, I had to undergo and to overcome the loss of my mental child. And now it seemed as if nothing and no one would survive me; neither a physical nor a mental child of my own! So I found myself confronted with the question whether under such circumstances my life was ultimately void of any meaning. Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering Not yet did I notice that an answer to this question with which I was wrestling so passionately was already in store for me, and that soon thereafter this answer would be given to me. This was the case when I had to surrender my clothes and in turn inherited the worn-out rags of an inmate who had already been sent to the gas chamber immediately after his arrival at the Auschwitz railway station” Logotherapy – The Meaning of Suffering In this critical situation, however, my concern was different from that of most of my comrades. Their question was, "Will we survive the camp? For, if not, all this suffering has no meaning." The question which beset me was, "Has all this suffering, this dying around us, a meaning? For, if not, then ultimately there is no meaning to survival; for a life whose meaning depends upon such a happenstance—as whether one escapes or not—ultimately would not be worth living at all." Criticism One solution to every problem Hence the approach is criticised as being authoritarian