Momentary associations between purpose in life and social connection from a micro-longitudinal study of everyday life

There is a well-established association between purpose in life and social connection, measured cross-sectionally and longitudinally over years. The present study uses ecological momentary assessment to shrink the timescale to daily life to identify dynamic associations between purpose and social connection within and between assessments throughout the day. Participants (N = 303) reported their feelings of purpose and aspects of social connection (appreciated, lonely, criticized) at three semi-random times each day for eight days. In moments when participants felt more purpose-driven than their average, they felt more appreciated and less lonely and criticized (median |b| = 0.08, p < .001). Likewise, in moments individuals felt more appreciated and less lonely and criticized than their average, they felt more purpose-driven (median |b| = 0.24, p < .001). Some associations persisted across assessments throughout the day: Feeling more purpose-driven in one moment was associated with feeling more appreciated and less lonely at the next momentary assessment and feeling more appreciated in one moment was associated with feeling more purpose-driven at the next momentary assessment. Loneliness measured in one momentary assessment, however, did not erode purpose in the next momentary assessment. This work provides support for momentary dynamics between purpose and social connection that may contribute to their longer-term associations.