Stauner, N., & Ozer, D. J. (2011). Spiritual predictors of the search for meaning in life. Poster presented at the 12th convention of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, San Antonio, TX.

1. UCRIVE
Introduction References
Existential theorists claim the need for meaning in life is universal (Frankl, 1963). UNIVERSITY OF Kashdan, T. B., Gallagher, M. W., Silvia, P. J.,
• Self-report data reveals variability in the explicit search for meaning. CALIFORNIA Winterstein, B. P., Breen, W. E., Terhar, D., & Steger,
(Steger, Frazier, Oishi, & Kaler, 2006) M. F. (2009). The curiosity and exploration
inventory-II: Development, factor structure, and
What characteristics can predict whether a person searches for meaning?
Negative relationship between presence of meaning and search for meaning varies.
Results
RSIDE psychometrics. Journal of Research in Personality, 43,
987-998.
Osarchuk, M., & Tatz, S. (1973). Effect of induced fear
• (r = -.09 to -.29; Steger et al., 2006; Stauner, 2006) Table 1. Correlations of MLQ, openness, connectedness, & afterlife belief
of death on belief in afterlife. Journal of Personality
• First-order effect of presence predicting search is stronger when accounting for Variable Presence Search Openness Connectedness and Social Psychology, 27, 256-260.
curvilinearity (β = -.31; Stauner, Stimson, & Boudreaux, 2010).
Search -.17 Piedmont, R. L. (1999). Does spirituality represent the
• Correlation also moderated by basic motive dispositions:
sixth factor of personality? Spiritual
( + ) More positive r when high: BAS, autonomy, openness, & rumination Openness .22 .14 transcendence and the Five-Factor Model. Journal
( - ) More negative r when high: BIS & relatedness of Personality, 67(6), 985-1013.
(Steger, Kashdan, Sullivan, & Lorentz, 2008)
Connectedness .29 .32 .21
Sartre, J. (1946). The humanism of existentialism. In
Belief in afterlife .27 .20 .09 .18 Baskin, W. (Ed.), Essays in Existentialism (pp. 31-62).
Openness to experience is weakly related to the search for meaning. Note. Significant correlations (p < .01) bolded for emphasis. N = 147-149 Carol Publishing Group.
• (r = .09 to .20; Steger et al., 2006; Steger et al., 2008) Stauner, N. (2006). Individual meaning, identity, and
• Stronger correlation when controlling for presence of meaning (partial r = .28). belief: Relationships among intrinsic & extrinsic
Correlations with search vary across dimensions of spirituality (Steger et al., 2010). Table 2. Multiple regressions predicting search for meaning religiosity, belief in an afterlife, meaning in life, ego
• Paranormal beliefs r = .12; Existential well-being r = -.29; others not significant. identity development status, and life satisfaction.
Predictor Estimate SE β Tolerance r Unpublished manuscript.
Search contributed to a regression model predicting belief in afterlife from presence.
• Indicates a suppression effect (r = .00, β = .10; Stauner, 2006). Intercept 3.65 .46 .24 Stauner, N., Stimson, T. S., & Boudreaux, M. J. (2010).
Presence -.33 .08 -.32 .81 -.17 The Curve of the Quest for a More Meaningful Life.
Can openness, spirituality, or afterlife belief uniquely predict the search for meaning? Poster presented at the 11th annual convention of
Presence² -.13 .04 -.17 .83 -.17 the Society for Personality & Social Psychology,
Are their effects distinct from the curvilinear effect of presence of meaning?
• Do they affect the curvilinearity of the relationship with presence of meaning? Belief in afterlife .36 .12 .23 .91 .20 Las Vegas, NV.
Steger, M. F., Frazier, P., Oishi, S., & Kaler, M. (2006).
• (second order presence β = -.21; Stauner, Stimson, & Boudreaux, 2010) Intercept 2.49 .53 .24 The meaning in life questionnaire: Assessing the
Presence -.35 .08 -.34 .82 -.17 presence of and search for meaning in life. Journal
Presence² -.13 .04 -.17 .85 -.17 of Counseling Psychology, 53, 80–93.
Steger, M. F., Kashdan, T. B., Sullivan, B. A., & Lorentz,
Method Connectedness .72 .15 .35 .90 .32 D. (2008). Understanding the search for meaning
Participants: 149 undergraduates at the University of California, Riverside Intercept 3.25 .60 .23 in life: personality, cognitive Style, and the
Age: mean = 19.3, SD = 1.8 71% female dynamic between seeking and experiencing
Presence -.37 .09 -.38 .74 -.17 meaning. Journal of Personality, 76, 199-228.
42% East Asian 17% Hispanic 14% Caucasian Presence² -.17 .04 -.23 .78 -.17 Steger, M. F., Pickering, N., Adams, E., Burnett, J., Shin,
10% African 9% South Asian 9% Other / Mixed Openness .50 .17 .23 .93 .14 J. Y., Dik, B. J., & Stauner, N. (2010). The quest for
meaning: Religious affiliation differences in the
50% Christian 28% Atheist/Agnostic/Irreligious
Note. All predictors significant (p < .005). correlates of religious quest and search for
12% Buddhist 6% Muslim 4% Other Adjusted R = .51 using all 5 predictors. N = 148-149 meaning in life. Psychology of Religion and
Spirituality, 2(4), 206-226.
Measures:
Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ; Steger et al., 2006) –
5 items assessing the subjective presence of meaning and purpose in life (alpha = .88).
Example item: “My life has no clear purpose.” (Reverse scored). Rated for agreement. Discussion
5 items assessing the subjective search for meaning and purpose in life (alpha = .84). Openness to experience, spiritual connectedness, and belief in an afterlife predict the search for meaning independently of presence.
Example item: “I am searching for meaning in my life.” Rated for agreement. • Their contributions to a regression model remain significant when including both linear and quadratic effects of presence of meaning.
• All five predictors remain significant when entered together, producing a strong model for predicting search (Adjusted R = .51).
Big Five Inventory, Openness subscale (John, Donahue, & Kentle, 1991) – • Only openness becomes much less significant (p = .043; all others < .01).
From a brief measure of the five most essential personality trait domains (alpha = .75). • Openness to experience implies a degree of natural curiosity that may motivate existential inquisitiveness (Kashdan et al., 2009).
10 statements of “I see myself as someone who…” Rated for agreement. • Connectedness implies a sense of responsibility that may motivate authentic engagement with existential challenges (Sartre, 1946).
Example item: “Is curious about many different things.” • Belief in an afterlife may pose as many existential questions as it answers.
• E.g., “What is the afterlife like?” “How do I get there? (To the good, not the bad one!)” and “What is the point of earthly existence?”
Belief in Afterlife scale, Form A (Osarchuk & Tatz, 1973) –
10 statements rated for agreement to assess belief in an afterlife (alpha = .91). Each predictor suppresses the negative relationship between presence of meaning and search for meaning.
Example item: “There must be an afterlife of some sort.” • Openness, connectedness, and belief in afterlife all relate positively to both search for meaning and presence of meaning.
• Controlling for mutual positive external effects clarifies the negative effect of presence on search, which is stronger than it appeared.
Spiritual Transcendence Scale, Connectedness subscale (Piedmont, 1999) – • (β = -.41 in the 5-predictor model)
6 statements rated for agreement to assess felt responsibility to others (alpha = .66). • These additional predictors do not affect the second-order curvilinear effect of presence on search.
Example item: “It is important for me to give something back to my community.” • Any effects of low meaning that decrease searching are not explained by lack of openness, connectedness, or hope for an afterlife.