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Related Experiment Video

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A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
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Meaning in life and intuition.

Samantha J Heintzelman1, Laura A King1

  • 1Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri.

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|September 1, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Meaning in life (MIL) is positively associated with intuitive processing. High MIL individuals are more responsive to intuitive thinking, suggesting gut feelings complement a meaningful existence.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Meaning in life (MIL) is a crucial aspect of psychological well-being.
  • Information processing styles, intuitive versus reflective, influence decision-making and judgment.
  • The relationship between MIL and intuitive processing remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between meaning in life and reliance on intuitive information processing.
  • To examine how individual differences in faith in intuition (FI) relate to MIL.
  • To explore the impact of experimentally manipulated processing styles on MIL.

Main Methods:

  • Three correlational studies (N = 5,079) assessed MIL and FI, controlling for relevant covariates.
  • Two experiments manipulated cognitive processing styles (intuitive vs. reflective).

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  • The Cognitive Reflection Task (CRT) and mindset inductions were employed.

    • Main Results:

    • Positive correlations were found between MIL and FI across studies.
    • The relationship between reflection and MIL was curvilinear, particularly at low MIL levels.
    • Individuals high in MIL showed greater responsiveness to intuitive mindset inductions.

    Conclusions:

    • Meaning in life is positively associated with a reliance on intuitive information processing.
    • High MIL may facilitate greater responsiveness to intuitive cues.
    • Intuitive processing and MIL share a complex, often complementary, relationship.