Understanding the pathways to purpose: : Examining personality and well-being correlates across adulthood

• Autores: Patrick L. Hilla, Rachel Sumnerb, Anthony L. Burrowb
• Localización: Journal of Positive Psychology, ISSN-e 1743-9779, Vol. 9, Nº. 3, 2014, págs. 227-234
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Although finding a purpose is almost universally accepted as a developmental achievement, relatively little research has sought to understand the potential means by which individuals do so. Using a newly developed measure, the current studies examined the personality and well-being profiles of individuals who reported following any of three different pathways to purpose: (1) proactive engagement, (2) reaction to significant life events, or (3) social learning. Across both emerging adult (n?=?179) and adult (n?=?307) samples, we demonstrated that individuals along these three pathways differ in theoretically meaningful ways. For instance, proactively engaged individuals report greater agency and openness to experience, while individuals who found a purpose primarily through reactive means are less likely to be exploring their life aims. Engagement with any pathway though coincided with greater well-being, due to the fact that following these paths may lead to a sense of purpose in life.