Meaning in Life, Association, and Generalized Self-Efficacy

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship generalized self-efficacy holds with two aspects of meaning in life: presence of meaning and search for meaning. Previous research has shown multiple pathways to meaning in life through generalized self-efficacy. It has also been shown that associative mindsets formed by exposure to learned associations (coherent stimuli) can increase feelings of meaning in life; as well as that exposure to unlearned associations (incoherent stimuli) can do the opposite. Two primes will be used. Coherent linguistic triads (three words with a fourth word in common) from the Remote Associates Test and incoherent linguistic triads (three words with no fourth word in common) will be presented to two separate, experimental groups to be solved. A control group that will be not presented with any triads will also be included. The Meaning in Life Questionnaire and the Seeking of Noetic Goals Test will be used to measure the presence of meaning and search for meaning. The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale will also be used. It is expected that, as before, individuals presented with incoherent triads will show greater levels of search for meaning, while those presented with coherent triads will show greater levels of presence of meaning. A negative relationship between presence of meaning and search for meaning is expected. I hypothesize that generalized self-efficacy will show a positive relationship with presence of meaning and search for meaning. I also hypothesize that generalized self-efficacy will act as a moderator between presence of meaning and search for meaning.