On the relationship between meaning in life and boredom proneness: examining a logotherapy postulate.
Logotherapy, developed by Viktor Frankl, posits that when one lacks meaning in life, boredom can result. Thus, the two constructs should be inversely related. To examine this relationship, 279 students (M = 19.8 yr., SD = 2.6; 179 women, 98 men) from a university in the southern United States were administered the Purpose of Life test and the Boredom Proneness Scale. As expected, a statistically significant negative correlation was found between the scores on the two scales (r = -.71). Directions for research are offered.
Melton
Amanda M A
AM
Department of Psychology, The of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA. amadamso@olemiss.edu
Schulenberg
Stefan E
SE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001887:Boredom; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010684:Philosophy; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology