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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 11, 2026

Methods to Test Visual Attention Online

Methods to Test Visual Attention Online

Published on: February 19, 2015

Meaning and Attention Intertwined: Experimental and Experience-Sampling Findings.

Katy Y Y Tam¹, Wijnand A P van Tilburg², Christian S Chan³

¹University of Toronto, ON, Canada.

Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin

|November 11, 2025

Summary

Finding meaning in life is linked to attention. Paying more attention to daily activities can enhance the experience of meaning, improving subjective well-being.

Keywords:

attention boredom meaning negative emotions subjective well-being

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Philosophy of Mind
Well-being Science

Background:

Meaning is crucial for well-being but its cognitive underpinnings are under-explored.
Previous research primarily focused on symbolic and philosophical aspects of meaning.
The cognitive processes linking meaning and attention require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To theoretically integrate meaning and attention.
To empirically investigate the bidirectional relationship between meaning and attention.
To explore the interplay of meaning, attention, boredom, negative emotions, and well-being.

Main Methods:

Theoretical integration of meaning and attention.
Five lab and experience-sampling studies (N=1,654).
Experimental manipulations and daily diary methods were employed.

Main Results:

Meaning enhanced attention (Studies 1, 3).
Attention enhanced meaning when stimuli allowed for it (Studies 2a, 2b, 3).
A positive association between meaning and attention was found across dispositional, situational, and cross-levels in daily life (Study 4).

Conclusions:

Paying attention can enhance the experience of meaning in daily activities.
The findings highlight the cognitive interplay between attention and meaning.
Understanding this relationship may inform interventions for enhancing well-being.