The Emergence of Meaning From Meaningful Moments in Life

Jacky van de Goor*, Anneke M. Sools, Gerben J. Westerhof

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

8 Citations (Scopus)
432 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Meaningful moments are specific events in life that are felt to be of great value and significance. This empirical study presents a framework on the way a sense of meaning emerges from these moments. Out of an existing data set of narratives of meaningful moments, a purposeful sample of nine narratives was chosen from different participants, all middle-aged, higher educated, and with an interest or profession in personal development. Interviews were conducted about the way these moments were experienced to be meaningful. A holistic content analysis led to the distinction of five main themes in the process of meaning emergence. The study showed how meaning discovery may lead to meaning creation, which in turn may lead to retrospective meaning discovery. Results highlighted the crucial role of the awareness of contrasts and letting go. Finally, the study showed a variety of ways in which meaningful moments have a lasting impact on life. The value of the developed framework lies in its focus on meaning as a process, integrating the concepts of coherence, purpose, significance and self-transcendence, and illustrating how meaning emerges through forward acts and discoveries as well as in retrospect.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of humanistic psychology
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print/First online - 28 Oct 2020

Keywords

  • UT-Hybrid-D
  • meaning creation
  • meaning discovery
  • meaningful moments
  • self-transcendence
  • meaning

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