A meaning construction pathway from search for meaning to presence of meaning

Abstract Introduction: Previous research has found inconsistent associations between search for meaning and presence of meaning across cultural contexts, but how search for meaning develops into presence of meaning remains unclear. Methods Study 1 ( N = 779) was cross-sectional and Study 2 ( N = 500) was a two-wave longitudinal study, with path analyses conducted separately in each. In Study 3 ( N = 298), participants self-selected one of four conditions (self-development, social commitment, experiences in life, or daily-life), and one-way ANOVAs compared these conditions on coherence, purpose, mattering, and presence of meaning. Results Path analyses in Study 1 revealed a sequential pathway from search for meaning to presence of meaning through specific sources of meaning (self-development, social commitment, and experiences in life) and the three dimensions (coherence, purpose, and mattering). Study 2 provided longitudinal support for the proposed pathway. In Study 3, participants who chose the self-development, experiences in life, and social commitment conditions reported higher presence of meaning than those in the daily-life condition, with effects differing across coherence, purpose, and mattering. Conclusion The findings suggest that search for meaning may gradually develop into presence of meaning through pathways linking specific sources of meaning with coherence, purpose, and mattering. This pathway provides a framework for understanding how search for meaning may develop into presence of meaning and offers a basis for translating this process into practical approaches to meaning-oriented life education.