Values Realized in Personal Strivings and Motivation, and Meaning in Life in Polish University Students

Abstract

The present study was based on two theoretical conceptions-Deci and Ryan's self-determination theory and its characteristic approach to values, and the conception of meaning in life derived from the Logotherapy of Frankl. The aim of the study was to verify the thesis that values realized in personal strivings play a significant role in experiencing meaning in life. The study was also designed to explore the relationships between types of motivation and meaning in life. A semi-open method was used to study values and striving motivations, one based on the Personal Striving Assessment by Emmons and the Purpose in Life Test by Maholick and Crumbaugh. The sample comprised 353 students of Wrocław-based universities (159 women and 194 men). The findings of this study demonstrated that meaning in life is related to motivation as well as to certain values that participants reported as realized in their personal strivings. Predictors of meaning in life were the value of financial success for men, and the value of intimacy/friendship for women. Another predictor of meaning for both groups was external motivation. Further interesting results discussed in this paper were obtained by comparing individuals with low and those with high levels of meaning in life. The latter group was found to attribute greater importance to autonomous motivation and to attach greater meaning to their everyday strivings by associating them more closely with both intrinsic and extrinsic values.

Grit and academic achievement: A comparative cross-cultural meta-analysis.

“…Past studies with Western samples have shown repeatedly that students with high interest tended to have higher engagement and reengagement in learning (Ainley & Ainley, 2011; Lindahl, 2007). This is strongly rooted in the social norms of individualistic cultures wherein the pursuit of individual interests is highly emphasized (i.e., goals were pursued based on strong personal interest and curiosity; see Ryan & Deci, 2000; Siwek et al, 2017). Indeed, Sang (2017) found that students in the West were encouraged to pursue their interests such that they were more able to make choices consistent with their interests.…”

Psychological Capital and Career Commitment Among Chinese Urban Preschool Teachers: The Mediating and Moderating Effects of Subjective Well-being

“…These factors have a positive effect on work attitude and performance (Jothimani, 2016;Satoh et al, 2016). In addition, people's intrinsic values that give meaning to life govern their motivation to work (Siwek et al, 2017). Preschool teachers with high SWB have strong work enthusiasm and often feel happy and satisfied with the teaching work they are engaged in.…”

Psychological capital and career commitment: the mediating effect of subjective well-being

“…According to a body of research (Sheldon et al, 2003a), positive emotions like life satisfaction (one of the components of SWB) and happiness had a positive impact on work attitudes and performance of work. Additionally, people's inherent values that granted them meaning of life governed their motivation to work (Siwek et al, 2017). According to SDT (Ryan and Deci, 2000), self-concordant goals are the ones that are integrated with the person's self-identified interests, choices, principles, values and self-making the goals highly notable as the person will be intrinsically motivated to achieve them.…”