Meanings of LifeGuilford Press, 1 gen 1991 - 426 pagine In this extraordinary book, an eminent social scientist explores what empirical studies from diverse fields tell us about the human condition. Meanings of Life draws together evidence from psychology, history, anthropology, and sociology, integrating copious research findings into a clear and conclusive discussion of how people attempt to make sense of their lives. In a lively and accessible style, emphasising facts over theories, Baumeister explores why people desire meaning in their lives, how these meanings function, what forms they take, and what happens when life loses meaning. The volume includes a review of interdisciplinary literature that covers what the social sciences say about such matters as happiness, suffering, and death. It explores people's need for a sense of purpose, values, control over their lives, and a sense of self worth. Divorce and religious conversion are also examined. The book attempts to analyze the myths of fulfilment and higher meaning, illusions of eternity, the suppression of female sexuality, the failure of the work ethic, why death is more threatening to us than it was to our ancestors, and how suffering stimulates the quest for meaning. It demonstrates how happiness depends more upon one's interpretation than actual circumstances, and shows that the keys to happiness are attitude, judicious comparison, a bit of luck and a healthy dose of self-deception. |
Sommario
Who Says Life Has No Meaning? | 3 |
Coming to Terms with Meaning | 12 |
The Four Needs for Meaning An Existential Shopping List | 29 |
The Myth of Higher Meaning | 58 |
Looking for Answers | 75 |
SelfIdentity and the Value Gap | 77 |
Work Work Work Work | 116 |
Passionate Love Domestic Bliss | 145 |
Suffering and Unhappiness | 232 |
Meanings of Death | 269 |
Changes in Meaning | 293 |
Life Change Adding and Subtracting Meanings | 295 |
Why Women Once Disliked Sex | 328 |
Epilogue | 356 |
The Work Ethic | 371 |
The Parenthood Paradox | 388 |
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Parole e frasi comuni
accept achieve actions activities actually appears attitudes basis become belief calling career cause century chapter Christian considered continue course culture death desire effects efficacy emotional especially ethic evidence example expectations experience fact failed failure faith feel goals happiness higher human ideas illusions important increase individual interpretations involves Journal justify lack leave less levels linked lives loss major marriage meaning meaningful moral motivations nature needs for meaning negative offer one's parenthood parents pattern perhaps person positive possible practice present probably problem promise Psychology question reason recent regarded relationship religion religious response result role satisfying seems self-worth sense sexual simply social society success suffering tend things tion typically understand value base women York
Riferimenti a questo libro
The Construction of the Self: A Developmental Perspective Susan Harter Anteprima non disponibile - 1999 |
Handbook of Cross-cultural Psychology: Social behavior and applications John W. Berry,Ype H. Poortinga,Janak Pandey Visualizzazione completa - 1997 |