%0 Journal Article
%T Self
%A Athena H. Cairo
%A C. Nathan DeWall
%A Daryl R. Van Tongeren
%A Don E. Davis
%A Jeffrey D. Green
%A Joshua N. Hook
%J Review of General Psychology
%@ 1939-1552
%D 2018
%R 10.1037/gpr0000121
%X Meaning is a central feature of human life. Our overarching proposition is that self-regulation helps facilitate meaning in life. We propose that purposeful, effortful, and directive actions that regulate selfish impulses are necessary to continually develop a sense of meaning in life. We explain how self-regulatory processes map onto this process: the drive for meaning is governed by internalized standards of meaning, people monitor their experiences to ensure a fit between their experiences and standards of meaning, and strength is required for deliberative behaviors aimed at reaffirming and regaining meaning. Moreover, we outline various self-regulatory pathways to gain meaning via coherence, significance, and purpose. Finally, we suggest various ways to test and expand our model and hypotheses
%K meaning
%K self-regulation
%U https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1037/gpr0000121