A MODEL FOR INDIVIDUAL’S MEANING OF LIFE

• Authors: Valerijs Dombrovskis
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The aim of this article is to describe the empirical research about the development of the model for individualís meaning of life. The model was developed based on the findings in pilot study about the meaning of life characteristics in Latvian population. The pilot study and the current research is based on the assumption that the meaning of life is an important motive, which activates an individual behavioural style, directed towards the realization of a person’s individual potential. The theoretical basis for the study was the A. Langle’s theory (Langle 2002) about individual crisis ñ a question about the meaning of events emerges when a person encounters crisis. In order to solve the crisis, person must find the answer to why is this happening, thus adding a meaning. In this process, a bigger meaning emerges about the quality of human life, which is described by integrated model of behavioural style, developed by R. Akhmerov (Akhmerov 2015), T. Gavrilova (Gavrilova 2015), S. Kuznetsova and E. Osin (Kuznetsova, Osin 2015). The study sample consisted of 100 respondents (50 women and 50 men, average age - 43 years), who gave written answers to 5 open-ended questions and the answers were analysed using deductive qualitative content analysis. The questions were about the development of the individual, roles of the individual, group formation, prohibitions. After data processing, a model for individualís meaning of life was developed, which includes 72 dispositions; 3 functioning areas of the individual and then in general categories - 8 significant motives - meanings of life on which the 8 behavioural models are based. This model is intended rather practical for individually practicing counsellors and therapists, who can assess the meaning of life by the criteria and adjust each individualís behaviour in order to reach oneís potential. Further research could focus on developing a quantitative assessment method to analyse the meaning of life’s structure.

Keywords

EN

meaning of life; motives; behavioural style; behavioural model

• Publisher: Daugavpils University, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Journal: Sociālo Zinātņu Vēstnesis
• Year: 2017
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 87-102

Contributors

author

Valerijs Dombrovskis

Identifiers

ISSN

1691-1881