ABSTRACT
The first edition of The Human Quest for Meaning was a major publication on the empirical research of meaning in life and its vital role in well-being, resilience, and psychotherapy. This new edition continues that quest and seeks to answer the questions, what is the meaning of life? How do we explain what constitutes meaningful relationships, work, and living?
The answers, as the eminent scholars and practitioners who contributed to this text find, are neither simple nor straightforward. While seeking to clarify subjective vs. objective meaning in 21 new and 7 revised chapters, the authors also address the differences in cultural contexts, and identify 8 different sources of meaning, as well as at least 6 different stages in the process of the search for meaning. They also address different perspectives, including positive psychology, self-determination, integrative, narrative, and relational perspectives, to ensure that readers obtain the most thorough information possible. Mental health practitioners will find the numerous meaning-centered interventions, such as the PURE and ABCDE methods, highly useful in their own work with facilitating healing and personal growth in their clients. The Human Quest for Meaning represents a bold new vision for the future of meaning-oriented research and applications. No one seeking to truly understand the human condition should be without it.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|273 pages
Theories
chapter 4|26 pages
Motivation, Meaning, and Wellness
chapter 7|21 pages
On the Distinction Between Subjective Well-Being and Meaning in Life
chapter 8|20 pages
Experiencing Meaning in Life
part II|220 pages
Research
chapter 14|17 pages
The Construction of Meaning From Life Events
chapter 15|20 pages
Autobiographical Memory and Personal Meaning
chapter 16|21 pages
Life Meaning and Purpose in Life Among Chinese Adolescents
part III|153 pages
Applications