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Personal narratives and the life story
... As individuals encounter and reflect on various life events and circumstances, they gain deeper insight into their mental states and personal experiences. This process aligns with McAdams' narrative theory, which posits that people construct their identities by integrating life experiences into a cohesive and evolving story (McAdams, 1993(McAdams, , 2001(McAdams, , 2008McAdams and McLean, 2013). As narrative identity develops, individuals not only gain a better understanding of their psychological states but also become more responsible for their decisions and actions, evolving . ...
... /fpsyg. . from mere "actors" to "agents" and eventually "authors" of their life stories (McAdams, 2013), The process of constructing narrative identity involves storytelling, where individuals recount their life experiences in a meaningful way (McAdams, 2008). People's life stories are not just recounting of events but rather their personal interpretations. ...
... The narrator decides which elements to include in the story, what to focus on, and what to omit (Robinson and Hawpe, 1986), even when they are the protagonist of the story. Moreover, life stories can change over time (McAdams, 2008); for example, a painful childhood event once told as a terrible failure and embarrassment may later become a humorous anecdote. ...
Objectives
This study investigates the relationship between compassion, defined by Gilbert as “a sensitivity to suffering in self and others, with a commitment to try to alleviate and prevent it” and narrative identity. We explored whether individuals with high and low levels of compassion differ in narrative characteristics such as affective tone, agency, and communion themes, as well as the use of redemption or contamination sequences in stressful life event narratives.
Methods
A mixed-method study was conducted with Polish adult participants (N = 63), half of whom had low and the other half high levels of compassion. Participants completed several questionnaires, including the Compassion Action and Engagement Scale. A few weeks later, they participated in individual interviews where they narrated several key life events. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded by an individual blind to the participants' compassion levels and other identifying information. The self-narratives were analyzed for affective tone, agency and communion themes, and redemption and contamination sequences. Differences in these elements between individuals with low and high compassion were analyzed using t-tests.
Results
Our findings indicate that individuals with higher compassion more frequently incorporate themes of agency and communion in their narratives, particularly in stories of failure and the past year's most difficult event. The narrative identity of a highly compassionate person includes more content related to seeing oneself as sensitive to suffering and actively working to reduce or prevent it.
Conclusions
This study highlights how individuals with varying levels of compassion construct narratives about significant life events. Narrative approaches can foster compassionate engagements and actions, potentially improving therapeutic practices and personal development strategies. The results underscore the importance of narrative analysis in understanding compassion and suggest that compassion levels may influence how individuals interpret and narrate their life experiences, offering valuable insights for future research.
... From a theoretical perspective, this study is shaped by research and practices across multiple disciplines. Key influential elements are the gender minority stress and resilience theory [15,56,57], theories about PWB [13,58], narrative identity and identity development [17,21,22,59], counselling approaches and narrative practice [23,46,60], clinicians' perspectives on their professional role [47], as well as emerging discussions around PWB and holistic approaches in gender affirming SP services [2,27,28,42]. Linking these theories as outlined in the background section of this protocol have influenced the design of this study. ...
... An interview guide has been developed to prepare for the episodic interviews. It is based on the study aims and the research team's understanding of the current literature around PWB, identity, gender minority stress, (gender) self-presentation [13,15,17,19,21,22,[56][57][58][59], and gender affirming SP practices [2,27,28,42]. The interview guide contains questions and prompts around five different topics: (1) identity and PWB, (2) self-presentation, identity and PWB, (3) vocal patterns, identity and PWB, (4) experiences with SP practices, and (5) effects of SP practices. ...
... A discussion guide has been developed to prepare for the focus group discussions. Again, it is based on the study aims and the research team's understanding of the current literature around PWB, identity, gender minority stress [13,15,17,19,21,22,[56][57][58][59], and SP practices in gender affirming care [4,29,35,42]. The focus group discussion guide contains questions and prompts around three different topics to evoke data to explore the third and fourth research question. ...
Background
Gender diverse people may experience discomfort with the sound of their voice. Additionally, their psychological wellbeing, closely connected to a person’s identity, or perspective of themselves, is often reduced. A primary goal of gender affirming healthcare is to support clients’ psychological wellbeing. Speech pathology practices assist clients to alter their voice to develop authentic self-presentation. These practices have been shown to have positive outcomes related to clients’ voices but have not yet been shown to improve overall client psychological wellbeing. Assisting gender diverse people to transform a negative identity perspective into a positive one could have a beneficial impact on their psychological wellbeing. Therefore, to support clients’ psychological wellbeing, gender affirming speech pathology care could benefit from focusing on gender diverse clients’ identity more broadly, i.e., beyond gender. For this type of care, speech pathologists would need to see themselves as responsible for supporting client psychological wellbeing and identity. However, some clinicians may be hesitant to incorporate more holistic approaches to provide such care. This study aims to explore gender diverse speech pathology clients’ views on psychological wellbeing and identity and speech pathologists’ perspectives and actions in supporting clients in that regard.
Methods
This qualitative study approaches the research topic through insights from gender diverse people’s and speech pathologists’ subjective perspectives and experiences on psychological wellbeing and identity. Gender diverse people will participate in one-on-one episodic interviews, whereas speech pathologists providing gender affirming care will participate in focus group discussions. Data will be analysed with reflexive thematic analysis. The study is supported by collaborators from the gender diverse community. Study findings will be disseminated in an accessible manner to healthcare professionals providing gender affirming care, mainly speech pathologists, and to the gender diverse community.
Implications
Study findings are anticipated to contribute to further understanding gender diverse people’s psychological wellbeing and identity in a gender affirming speech pathology context to tailor practices to the unique needs of gender diverse clients.
... In the third paper Shadden and Hagstrom [43] discuss different concepts and theories found within psychological, communication, and sociological literature to understand narrative identity. Among others, they incorporated Holstein and Gubrium's [46] theory of self, McAdams [47] theory of narrative identity, and Frank's theory of narrative types [48]. In the fourth paper Shadden and Koski [44] synthesize various theories to understand the impact of aphasia on storytelling and self, employing Holstein and Gubrium's [46] theory of self and Giddens' [49] theory of self-identity. ...
... In the fourth paper Shadden and Koski [44] synthesize various theories to understand the impact of aphasia on storytelling and self, employing Holstein and Gubrium's [46] theory of self and Giddens' [49] theory of self-identity. Finally, the fifth paper by Strong and Shadden [2], published in 2020, provides an overview of available narrative interventions and utilizes narrative theories from Taylor [45], McAdams [47], Bamberg [50], and Bruner [51]. ...
... Corsten et al. [15] evaluated and adapted an interdisciplinary biographic-narrative intervention, and investigated how this intervention influenced identity negotiation and quality of life in aphasia using a mixed-methods design. [47] theory of narrative identity within their theoretical framework. Strong et al. [65] used a phenomenological design, conducting semi-structured interviews in three middle-aged men with chronic aphasia. ...
Purpose:
Provide an overview of existing knowledge on the concept of identity and identity changes and formation of people with language disorders of aphasia. To date, there has been limited exploration of identity changes of people with aphasia as communication difficulties have been perceived as a barrier to participation by researchers.
Method:
A scoping review was performed utilizing Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. The databases PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched, and both descriptive and thematic analysis were conducted.
Results:
The search yielded 492 records, of which 20 studies were included. The analysis revealed various theories and definitions of identity. There was limited uniformity in defining identity in the publications. A recurrent theme was, that identity is a social construct and storytelling is the vehicle through which it is navigated. Language and communication are essential in this process.
Conclusions:
The model of Narrative Identity might be useful to clarify identity and its dynamic nature, since it integrates various theories of identity referred to in the publications. Different aspects of identity should be considered in future research to add to existing knowledge of identity changes and formation in people with aphasia and to tailor future interventions if necessary.
... Lexi, an undergraduate student-turned-consultant, strongly identifies with her employer-a typical work identity narrative, or "internalized and evolving story" about the self (McAdams, 1999: 489; see also Ibarra & Barbulescu, 2010). Fast-forward a few years, and she has been sponsored for an MBA, is married, and has had two children. ...
... "Emplotment" links and directs events toward a conclusion (Ricoeur, 1984), joining disparate identities and plots into a selfstory (Polkinghorne, 1991). Storytellers narrate their different identities and plots in particular settings, at particular moments in time (McAdams, 1999), and for particular audiences. As Bruner (1997: 155, 157) puts it, "Told self-narratives are … typically purpose-built for the occasion," wherein, broadly speaking, "the very engine of narrative is trouble" (emphasis in original). ...
... This motive to pursue, preserve and amplify the positivity of one's self-views, known as self-enhancement, helps to maintain positive emotions, assists in attainment of an individual's goals and contributes to psychological and physical health (see for a review Sedikides & Alicke, 2019). Selfenhancement guides thinking, feeling and behaving and is linked to multiple biases in information processing: attention (selective attention), perception and evaluation (the above-average effect, self-serving bias), construal of information about the self and others (strategic construal), memory (mnemic neglect) and prediction (unrealistic optimism), all resulting in casting the self in a favourable light (Baumeister, 2010;Sedikides & Gregg, 2003;2008). Extensive literature on self-enhancement suggests that the maintenance of a positive selfconception can be considered a goal and linked to multiple (and potentially interchangeable) strategies for the attainment of that goal (Tesser, 2001). ...
... We reason that in the domain of visual self-perception, the anchor in the 'true-self' concept which is predominantly positive may guard the self against the effects of daily fluctuations and age-related changes in one's appearance, and other contextual influences. Importantly, it allows maintaining a consistent positive visual representation of the self (in terms of desirable Big 5 dimensions), which is in line with the general narrative of being 'good, consistent and efficacious' the self is striving to maintain (Steele, 1988; see also Baumeister, 2010;McAdams, 2008). ...
Typically, individuals are motivated to see themselves in a flattering light regarding their physical and personality characteristics. We suggest that visual self-perception is anchored in the true self which is largely the self-enhancing self, and may also reflect the privileged access to one's traits and internal states. Here, we examine the impact and limits of self-enhancement motivation and egocentric bias on individuals’ recognition of variations of their portraits in terms of the Big Five personality dimensions. We predict that individuals recognise themselves better in positively altered portraits, namely, portraits looking more agreeable, conscientious and open. We also predict that self-enhancement is anchored in reality: Individuals recognise themselves less in strongly altered than in slightly or non-altered portraits. In Study 1, we measure the directions of self-recognition distortions by investigating in which random variations of their portraits individuals recognise themselves. In Study 2, relying on a mouse tracking paradigm, we additionally measure the degree of distortion, and the conflict individuals experience during the self-recognition task. Results of both studies mainly demonstrate self-recognition distortions towards agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism. Moreover, results from Study 2 reveal that self-recognition is anchored in reality. Findings of two studies applying different methods convergently show systematic biases in self-recognition regarding the Big Five dimensions, both enriching understanding of the self-enhancement processes and demonstrating that the methods applied might be useful for future research focusing on self-recognition.
... Individuals reconstruct the personal past, perceive the present, and anticipate the future in terms of an internalized and evolving self-story, an integrative narrative of the self that provides a sense of unity and purpose to an individual's life (McAdams, 2008). This process leads not only to the organization of events in a coherent way but also to remembering these events from an integrative perspective. ...
Breast cancer survivors often report internal sensations of discomfort that influence body image or the subjective representation of one’s appearance, which can cause a disconnection between body and personal identity. 12 breast cancer survivors were involved in a group psychological intervention which focused on the management of autobiographical memories related to their own body after breast cancer. Three open questions related to their body autobiographical memories were administered pre, post and 1 month later after the intervention. Autobiographical memories were analyzed with a qualitative methodology to explore the transformative process at three time points. Findings highlight three main themes: (1) narratives of cancer-related memories (2) narratives of emotion towards the body after cancer (3) narratives of memories of internal reflections. This innovative psychological group intervention appears to support breast cancer survivors in re-taking control of their own autobiographical memories related to the body and their related emotions.
... Thus, it is possible that the terminal phase begins for initiators already at the second stage (because they begin to realize that separation is inevitable for them) and for recipients at the third stage (because they fully realize the risk of separation only now). After separation, people enter the last stage (i.e., the grave dressing stage), in which they try to find a story or narrative about their past relationship; such a narrative gives the lived relationship a sense of meaning (Bühler & Dunlop, 2019;McAdams, 2008). ...
In this preregistered research, we tested whether there is a systematic, terminal decline in relationship satisfaction when people approach the end of their romantic relationship. Data came from four longitudinal studies with national samples. In the analyses, we used (piecewise) multilevel models with propensity score-matched event and control groups. Across studies, sample sizes ranged from 987 to 3,373 for event groups and from 1,351 to 4,717 for control groups. Relationship satisfaction systematically declined as a function of time-to-separation. The decline prior to separation was divided into a preterminal phase, characterized by a smaller decline, and a terminal phase, characterized by a sharp decline. Across studies, the onset of the terminal phase was estimated at 0.58–2.30 years prior to separation. For comparison purposes, we also examined relationship satisfaction as a function of time-since-beginning, showing that time-to-separation was a much better predictor of change than time-since-beginning. Moreover, for comparison purposes, we examined change in life satisfaction, showing that terminal decline was less visible in life satisfaction than in relationship satisfaction. Moderator analyses indicated that age at separation and marital status explained variance in the effect sizes. Moreover, individuals who were the recipients of the separation (in contrast to individuals who initiated the separation) entered the terminal phase later but then decreased more strongly. The findings support that ending relationships show a typical pattern of preterminal and terminal decline, which may have important implications for the timing of interventions aimed at improving relationships and preventing separation.
... Os seres humanos encontrarão ordem e significado no mundo mesmo onde os padrões evidentes estão ausentes (por exemplo, Whitson e Galinsky, 2008), sejam rostos nas nuvens, pontos em movimento em uma tela, ou interpretando a coincidência como destino (Guthrie, 1995). Além disso, criamos histórias a partir de eventos aleatórios (McAdams, 2008) e vivemos pelas histórias que construímos. Embora exista certamente uma variação na necessidade das pessoas de interpretar os acontecimentos da vida, é justo dizer que os humanos parecem incapazes de viver sem sentido. ...
Tradução de Sport as a meaning-making system: insights from the study of religion, publicado originalmente na revista Religion, v. 13, n. 10, 2022, com as devidas permissões dos autores, dos editores acadêmicos (Hans Zollner e Carles Salazar) da revista Religion e da editora MDPI.
... Stories can educate, inspire, and motivate individuals (Koenig Kellas, 2018;McAdams, 2008). The findings of this research underscore significant practical implications for developing training programs aimed at educating women on the importance of sharing diverse stories about the menopause transition. ...
The study explored the diverse identities women construct in
their menopausal transition (MT) narratives to understand their
support needs during this life phase. Three distinct identities –
the emancipated, overlooked, and renewed women – emerged
through a thematic and narrative analysis of twenty-one
women’s stories. Additionally, a fourth identity type, the invisi�ble woman, appeared in the narratives of both the emancipated
and overlooked women, resulting in fractured identities. The
identities of the invisible/emancipated woman illustrate how
those who have positive experiences during MT feel margin�alized by dominant societal attitudes toward menopause and
aging; thus, these narratives carry significant theoretical impli�cations for narrative identity research. These stories demon�strate that narrators can simultaneously embody two
contradictory identities, reflecting their experiences’ complex
nature. The identities of the invisible/overlooked woman high�light the detrimental effects of MT-related uncertainty, the
knowledge gap among healthcare providers (HCPs) regarding
menopause care, and the lack of peer support. However, the
narrative of the renewed woman showcases the positive influ�ence of peer relationships on women’s personal growth during
challenging and ambiguous life transitions. The study also
recommends strategies that HCPs and menopause peers should
employ to enhance their roles as supportive networks for those
navigating MT-related uncertainties.
... The Biopsychosocial model, with its dual emphasis on both temperament (i.e., biologically driven automatic emotional responses) and character (i.e., goals and values in relation to the self, others and one's existence), was expected to offer an integrative framework for understanding how personality traits shape parasocial engagement. Unlike lexical models, which focus on descriptive traits (McAdams, 2008;McAdams & Manczak, 2011), this model provides a dynamic and integrative perspective that captures the complexity of personality (Cervone, 2005;C. R. Cloninger, 2004), even when assessing fictional characters such as Monica Geller. ...
This pilot study investigated how viewers perceive Monica Geller’s personality using three evidence-based personality models: Big Five, HEXACO, and Cloninger’s Biopsychosocial Model. Additionally, it examined how these perceptions are associated to audiences’ engagement in parasocial relationships with this iconic character from the sitcom Friends. A sample of sixty-three participants assessed Monica’s personality by responding to the Big Five Inventory (BFI), the HEXACO-60, and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-60). Participants also completed the Multidimensional Measure of Parasocial Relationships (MMPR). Personality scores were contextualized against U.S. population norms (NBFI = 711, NHEXACO = 1126, NTCI = 1948) and Pearson correlations were conducted to explore associations between personality traits and the Affective, Behavioral, Cognitive, and Decisional dimensions of parasocial engagement. Normative comparisons revealed Monica’s perceived Openness and Agreeableness in the Big Five and her Openness and Agreeableness in the HEXACO as significantly below average, while her Big Five Neuroticism and her HEXACO Conscientiousness were significantly above average. In the Biopsychosocial Model, Monica’s Persistence was significantly higher than population norms, while Cooperativeness was significantly lower. Big Five Agreeableness showed correlations across all parasocial engagement dimensions. HEXACO Emotionality was strongly linked to the Affective and Behavioral dimensions, while Honesty–Humility was associated with Cognitive parasocial engagement. In the Biopsychosocial Model, Reward Dependence and Cooperativeness were associated with Cognitive and Affective parasocial engagement, while Self-Directedness was linked to the Behavioral dimension. The Biopsychosocial Model offered the most comprehensive insights, capturing the multidimensional nature of viewer–character engagement. The Big Five and HEXACO models added valuable perspectives, particularly in explaining that traits associated with trust and kindness are linked to decision making. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating multiple personality frameworks to advance the understanding of parasocial relationship engagement, shedding light on the nuanced ways personality traits shape audience perceptions and relationships with media characters, with significant implications for media psychology and personality research. Limitations and avenues for future developments are discussed, building on the insights from this pilot study.
... The self-concepts that are the set of characteristics that the I-self accesses about the Me-self begin to develop in early and middle childhood and become clear by early adulthood. To make sense self-concepts in the context of life events, people construct a narrative identity-that is a set of stories that explain the me-self and how life experiences relate to the me-self (this is what happened to me) (McAdams, 2008). Self-reflection and interoceptive awareness, validation from others, and autobiographical reasoning are three processes that enable identity formation. ...
This is Part 2 of Lifespan Development a Biopsychological Perspective, Puberto through Early Adulthood. We wrote this text for students entering helping professions. It covers many topics not addressed by other texts including, development of behavioral systems attachment, caregiving, dominance and sex. We thoroughly address what clinicians need to know about "the self" including the development of self-regulation.
... Voor de interviewleidraad haalden we inspiratie uit de levensverhalenmethodiek van McAdams (2008). Deze methodiek focust op de levensloop van personen, waarbij gekeken wordt naar het verleden (vb. ...
... In this way, cultural exploitation harms the collective power of marginalized group members by reducing their ability to control the destiny of their ingroup (Twali et al., 2023). Cultural exploitation takes away opportunities for source community members to connect with ancestors and pass down cherished cultural heritage to future generations that hold significant meaning and value (McAdams, 2008), Thus, exposure to such cases will be experienced as particularly traumatic and harm psychological well-being due to enhanced threats to existential value, continuity and meaning (Subica & Link, 2022). Cultural movements, such as Afrofuturism that use science fiction, aesthetics, and fantasy to explore the Black experience to connect those Black people to their ancestry, depict the pressing need for minoritized groups to have sovereignty over their representations and humanity and to transcend beyond systems of oppression enhance meaning and identity continuity (Yaszek, 2006). ...
In this paper, I propose a multidimensional model of cultural appropriation, including psychological antecedents of appropriation, policy-level moderators, and implications for racial oppression. In terms of antecedents, I discuss how colorblind racism, aversive racism, and system justification contribute to two dimensions of cultural appropriation: cultural exploitation (high status actors extracting from minoritized communities) and cultural dominance (low status actors engaging in dominant cultural practices). Next, I discuss policy level moderators to counteract these antecedents to reduce acts of cultural appropriation such as placing importance on role of education and research, introducing legislation that focuses on minoritized groups heritage preservation and human rights, and changing institutional norms and organizational climates. This multidimensional framework proposes practical solutions for policy and practice to mitigate implications of racial oppression, including preventing manifestations of intergroup harm, improving hostile intragroup relations, and reducing appropriated racial oppression and stigma internalization.
... Autobiographical memory is a form of self-referential memory that includes episodic memories and semantic knowledge of oneself (Conway and Pleydell-Pearce 2000). This makes it an essential component of the human experience crucial to the sense of self and identity (e.g., McAdams 2008). Autobiographical memory recall can be assessed across the domains of vividness, emotional intensity, specificity, richness of detail, and ease of access, with different mental health disorders showing distinct alterations in these domains. ...
Since the earliest LSD research, psychedelics have been claimed to enhance autobiographical recall. Revisiting and processing autobiographical memories has further been suggested to be a major component of the therapeutic action of psychedelics. However, modern psychedelic research has largely neglected autobiographical elements of psychedelic experiences, and many vital questions remain unanswered. We present and discuss six open questions related to psychedelics and autobiographical memory: 1. Do psychedelics enhance autobiographical recall? 2. Is recall and processing of significant autobiographical (e.g., traumatic) memories a common part of psychedelic experiences? 3. Do psychedelics promote the development of false or inaccurate memories? 4. How do autobiographical memories change if they are recalled and re-consolidated under the effects of psychedelics? 5. What are memories of psychedelic experiences like? 6. Are autobiographical experiences under psychedelics of particular importance for their therapeutic effects? We present the rationale and current limited state of evidence for each question and provide suggestions on how future studies could best address them. We argue that, besides advancing basic research, answering these pressing questions is highly relevant for the possible therapeutic use of psychedelics, both in terms of developing and optimizing new interventions and for avoiding iatrogenic harms. Ideally, future psychedelic-assisted interventions could harness the possible synergies between the effects of psychedelics and existing memory-based therapies.
... The integration of such narratives encompasses their life stories. By narrating their life stories, people create a sort of self-theory seeking to ascribe a sense of unity, coherence, and purpose in life (McAdams, 2008a). This is of particular relevance given how our present historical context is one characterized by uncertainty and instability (Giddens, 1991). ...
This article identifies different types of validity and reliability evidence of the Life Project Scale (LPS), a new psychometric measure to assess the coherence of the intended future. It comprises three studies involving five samples that accounted for 2,808 participants from Brazil and Portugal. The final version of the LPS contains two factors with four items each. The factors assess identification (i.e., awareness of one’s intended future) and involvement (i.e., enactment of plans and actions in favor of one’s intended future). The two factors are indicators of the coherence of life projects’ intentional structures and action. Altogether, the three studies provide validity and reliability evidence based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the assessment of ceiling and floor effects, four types of reliability coefficients, relations to other measures (authenticity and meaning in life), and measurement invariance models. Therefore, the LPS is ready for further use, development, and testing in other research and practice contexts.
... how to get to the beach) (Fivush and Grysman, 2023). This knowledge is linked thematically and temporally (Conway and Pleydell-Pearce, 2000), including information about what happened as well as what the event means for who the person is and what they will become (McAdams, 2008). ...
Purpose
This paper aims to draw on values theory, associative network theory and schema congruity theory to examine how consumers attribute human-like values to product categories and products, and how these attributions affect product evaluations.
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 randomly assigned 925 respondents to one of three product categories (cars, mobile phones and vacations). They were asked about their values and to attribute values to an assigned product category. Study 2 randomly assigned 919 respondents to one of the four value-expressive car conditions. They were asked to attribute values to the car, and then about their attitudes and purchase intentions.
Findings
Respondents attributed human-like values to product categories and products that were distinct and reflected the motivational compatibilities and conflicts inherent in the circular structure of human values. Moreover, multifaceted value congruity effects were found to positively influence attitudes and intentions to purchase a car, including congruity with product category values-schema, consumers’ personal values-schema and the structure of human values.
Originality/value
The authors demonstrate how a cognitive memory-based view can be used to better understand the complexities of the attribution of human-like values to products and product categories. Moving beyond the attribution of brand personality, this study shows the importance of not only understanding the attributions of values to a product but also considering how these attributions interact with the more abstract product category values to influence evaluations.
The good life is broadly understood to mean a life worth living, characterized by positive human functioning and well-being. Psychologists have primarily focused on aspects of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being at the individual level. While this continues to be important, the narrative scripts that influence individuals’ concepts of the good life are underexplored. Scripts about “the good life” circulate in every culture and for Asian American Christians, they potentially come from three sources—Asian cultures experienced prior to or during diaspora, Christian culture, and the individual’s personal meaning-making. This exploratory study focuses on perspectives of the good life, told by 31 East-Asian American Christians in the Seattle area. Through interviews, researchers captured participants’ conceptualizations of the good life at societal, communal, and personal levels and thematically coded these stories for motivational themes. For the East-Asian American Christians in our study, master narratives of the good life constellate around achievement and security, and dominant narratives of the perpetual foreigner and model minority persist. Furthermore, alternative narratives of the good life informed by the Christian tradition constellate around relatedness, purpose, and competence. These themes also emerge for personal narratives of the good life, with an amplified emphasis on relatedness.
The study explored the religious identity of Filipino Catholic adolescents to elucidate the developmental and sociocultural processes involved in identity construction within highly religious contexts. Ten Filipino Catholic adolescents who served as student leaders within religious organizations in their colleges took part in semi-structured in-depth interviews, and the findings were examined through the narrative identity approach. The results revealed that the construction of their identity was first inherited ( pinamana) through socialization practices with families, peers, schools, and communities, which gained personal relevance to them after encountering God at pivotal moments. They continued to experience religion ( pinagdaanan ) in depth through traditional and relational practices within their faith in traditional and relational ways, and ultimately chose ( pinili ) to affirm their faith by applying it to various areas in their lives in a flexible manner. The study explores how identity is constructed through meaningful interactions within socialized contexts that may differ from other generations and cultures. The findings offer insight into the process of religious identity construction of Filipino youth to guide interventions toward robust identity development.
Rationale
Since the earliest LSD research, psychedelics have been claimed to enhance autobiographical memory. Revisiting and processing autobiographical memories has further been suggested to be a major component of the therapeutic action of psychedelics. However, modern psychedelic research has largely neglected autobiographical elements of psychedelic experiences, and many vital questions remain unanswered.
Objectives
We present and discuss six open questions related to psychedelics and autobiographical memory: (1) Do psychedelics enhance autobiographical recall? (2) Is recall and processing of significant autobiographical (e.g., traumatic) memories a common part of psychedelic experiences? (3) Do psychedelics promote the development of false or inaccurate memories? (4) How do autobiographical memories change if they are recalled and reconsolidated under the effects of psychedelics? (5) What are memories of psychedelic experiences like? (6) Are autobiographical experiences under psychedelics of particular importance for their therapeutic effects?
Results
We present the background and current limited state of evidence for each question and provide suggestions on how future studies could best address them.
Conclusions
Besides advancing basic research, answering these pressing questions is highly relevant for the possible therapeutic use of psychedelics, both in terms of developing and optimizing new interventions and for avoiding iatrogenic harms. Ideally, future psychedelic-assisted interventions could harness the possible synergies between the effects of psychedelics and existing memory-based therapies.
RationaleSince the earliest LSD research, psychedelics have been claimed to enhance autobiographical memory. Revisiting and processing autobiographical memories has further been suggested to be a major component of the therapeutic action of psychedelics. However, modern psychedelic research has largely neglected autobiographical elements of psychedelic experiences, and many vital questions remain unanswered.Objectives
We present and discuss six open questions related to psychedelics and autobiographical memory: 1. Do psychedelics enhance autobiographical recall? 2. Is recall and processing of significant autobiographical (e.g., traumatic) memories a common part of psychedelic experiences? 3. Do psychedelics promote the development of false or inaccurate memories? 4. How do autobiographical memories change if they are recalled and reconsolidated under the effects of psychedelics? 5. What are memories of psychedelic experiences like? 6. Are autobiographical experiences under psychedelics of particular importance for their therapeutic effects?ResultsWe present the background and current limited state of evidence for each question and provide suggestions on how future studies could best address them. Conclusions
Besides advancing basic research, answering these pressing questions is highly relevant for the possible therapeutic use of psychedelics, both in terms of developing and optimizing new interventions and for avoiding iatrogenic harms. Ideally, future psychedelic-assisted interventions could harness the possible synergies between the effects of psychedelics and existing memory-based therapies.Keywords: Psychedelics, autobiographical memory, LSD, psilocybin
Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) is considered one of the most important and influential figures of the twentieth century in philosophy, social theory and political engagement. This chapter focuses on his life and work, particularly on his personal development as a philosopher and political actor answering the question: How did Jean-Paul Sartre’s political thought and engagement develop over his lifetime?
Even if Sartre was not a political leader in the pure meaning of the term, he had a lasting influence on the political ideas of an entire generation. His philosophy and political thoughts are assumed to be of growing importance once again. Accordingly, a comprehensive description and interpretation of Sartre’s life, philosophy and political thought may provide new ideas on freedom, power and existence for people living today.
The chapter uses a psychobiographical approach in a hermeneutical paradigm and aims to fill the gap in psychobiographies of twentieth-century French existentialists. To identify the most significant themes in Sartre’s political life, van Niekerk’s psychobiographical process steps were followed. In the biographical reconstruction, challenges and coping patterns become recognisable and are placed in relation to the development of work and political commitment. Conclusions emphasise Sartre’s relevance in dealing with social tensions in the context of social inequality, cultural diversity and entrenched institutional structures.
This chapter describes a web based game SaveDforest, a serious game developed to create knowledge about the Borneo forest, its biodiversity and its dramatic and ongoing destruction, and to trigger empathy with the Borneo animals and local people, and drive changes in the players consumer behavior that affect this forest.
The article presents the results of research into the problem of the influence of narrative transformations in a literary fairy tale on the dynamics of the characters' identity. Studying changes in the narrative of a literary fairy tale is a way of understanding the characteristics of the development of personal identity, which helps determine the nature of the interaction between the identity of the heroes of the work and its reproduction in real life circumstances. The essence of identity is determined as a dynamic structure that influences the formation of integrity, predetermining the nature of a person’s self-determination in the process of choosing values. Scientific approaches to the interpretation of identity are characterized: literary, ontological, anthropological, psychoanalytic, sociological, cognitive-oriented, existential-humanistic, narrative. The content of the narrative is presented as a set of linguistic and psychological structures that unfold past events in the present time, transforming the state of the characters. It is noted that the narrative matrix of narrative schemes is a literary fairy tale as an author's work that focuses on elements of reality and fantasy. The purpose of the article is to substantiate and analyze the influence of transformations in the narrative of a literary fairy tale on the evolution of the characters’ identity. The object of the study is the narrative of literary fairy tales by О. Zuber “Golden Grains”, V. Sukhomlynskyi “Chrysanthemum and Onion”, A. Zaitseva “The Tale of Fear”, Lesya Ukrainka “Three Butterflies”. The subject of the study is the characteristics of the characters' identity in the aforementioned fairy tales. The article uses such research methods as analysis of scientific works, systematization of approaches, generalization of provisions on the role of narrative in a literary fairy tale, comparison of works, narrative analysis. Based on the results of the study, it was found that the narrative in a literary work influences personal identity and contributes to the assimilation of experience. The process of transformation of the narrative in a literary fairy tale determines the nature of changes in identity, which is reproduced in the worldview of the narrator. Narrative analysis of literary fairy tales has shown that dynamic changes in the identity of the heroes of fairy tales in the process of transformation of the narrative of the work causes the emergence of a spectrum of identity changes: loss, self-searching, taking on new roles, lessons of compassion, overcoming obstacles, revaluation of values, etc. The novelty of the research results lies in the identification of the characteristics of the characters’ identity depending on changes in the narrative of a literary fairy tale. Further prospects for research may be related to the description of identity models of heroes of literary fairy tales and their classification according to their functions in the work.
Writing as Inquiry Towards Being and Becoming provides a guide to the different phases of growth experienced when undertaking creative forms of academic writing and inquiry. It describes how embodied, aesthetic, and poetic forms of academic inquiry can be a catalyst for both personal and professional growth. This book moves beyond the technical skills of writing by exploring the reasons why we should engage in creative inquiry. It delves into the ontological possibilities of qualitative inquiry and how writing to inquire can help us to exist meaningfully in this world.
This indispensable collection provides extensive, yet accessible, coverage of conceptual and practical issues in research design in personality and social psychology. Using numerous examples and clear guidelines, especially for conducting complex statistical analysis, leading experts address specific methods and areas of research to capture a definitive overview of contemporary practice. Updated and expanded, this third edition engages with the most important methodological innovations over the past decade, offering a timely perspective on research practice in the field. To reflect such rapid advances, this volume includes commentary on particularly timely areas of development such as social neuroscience, mobile sensing methods, and innovative statistical applications. Seasoned and early-career researchers alike will find a range of tools, methods, and practices that will help improve their research and develop new conceptual and methodological possibilities. Supplementary online materials are available on Cambridge Core.
When religion is the site of abuse and trauma, it can deeply impact a person's ability to relate to God and engage in spiritual practice. As such, religious trauma is ripe for philosophical exploration. Section 1 of this Element provides a brief history of the concept of psychological trauma, contemporary accounts of its neurobiological basis, and its impact on human agency. Section 2 sketches a model of religious trauma through the first-person narratives of survivors and emerging psychological data. Section 3 explores the social epistemology of religious trauma, focusing on how failures of knowledge create space for religious abuse and the insights of survivors may help communities guard against it. The last two sections consider three perennial topics in philosophy of religion from the perspective of religious trauma: the problem of evil, the problem of divine hiddenness, and religious experience.
Research in psychology can have various foci, ranging from the psychological dynamics of single individuals to the generalization across individuals, often termed idiographics and nomothetics, respectively. However, terminological ambiguities have limited communication clarity about idiographics and nomothetics. Importantly, whether studies are suitable for idiographic and/or nomothetic inferences is not categorical but rather a matter of degree. Therefore, we propose a list of concrete, better-defined methodological aspects characterizing individual studies. Specifically, we highlight 16 different decisions researchers have to make pertaining to (1) research question, (2) research design, and (3) analyses and interpretation. These decisions are introduced with a focus on personality psychology but apply to psychological research broadly. We discuss the different decisions with an emphasis on their relation to idiographic and nomothetic inferential goals. Rather than providing specific recommendations, we emphasize the importance of aligning the methodology of a given study with the research question and theory. Overall, this overview seeks to help researchers make relevant decisions more intentionally to help them tailor their studies to their inferential goals.
The recent medical progress ensures high rates of long-term survival even in the face of illness previously with an unfortunate outcome: this is the case of breast cancer, which, to date, ensures more than 80% of long-term survival rates, and that for this reason can be interpreted as a chronic illness. In particular, the onset of breast cancer in under-50 women represents a potentially traumatic event that storms in the life of a young woman breaking the narrative sense of continuity, sameness, and integrity. This chapter discusses the role of narrative psychological devices for the understanding and the promotion of sense-making process and psychological adjustment to illness. Within a psychological risk preventive framework, the authors show findings from a longitudinal narrative research on the sense-making processes with breast cancer younger women highlighting narrative indexes of risks and resources during the first year of treatment. Implications for longitudinal support will be discussed.
This research investigates whether racially dominant (White) and minoritized group members (Black) differentially evaluate intergroup harm in ambiguous (vs. overt) acts of cultural appropriation (the aversive racism hypothesis), due to attributions of positive intentions to the target (the intent as justification hypothesis). Four experiments (N = 1020, 3 preregistered) and an internal meta-analysis converge to demonstrate that White perceivers evaluated less harm than Black perceivers in ambiguous acts of cultural appropriation. Attributions of positive intent served as a mechanism underlying this effect; naturally-occurring variations in positive intent mediated the link between participant race and harm evaluations (Studies 2 & 3), and experimentally manipulating target intent altered harm evaluations as well as motivations for collective action (Study 4). Findings integrate work from multiple academic disciplines with insights from contemporary theories of prejudice to suggest that perceivers’ attributions of positive intent can obscure their evaluations of harm in acts of cultural appropriation.
Today, in sociological discourse, there is a consensus regarding the formation of a consolidated national identity in Ukrainian society, in which the civil and ethnic elements are indivisible. Studies of changes in national-civil identities in the context of a hybrid and full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war record an increase in the number of those who self-identify as citizens of Ukraine. However, it is unclear how these changes occurred and what happens to those who previously had such an identity. The purpose of this article is to document changes in national-civic self-identification under the influence of war at the personal level. Fragments of 38 in-depth interviews conducted in March-April and September-October 2023 with forced migrants were used as empirical material. Some of the informants continued to remain abroad at the time of the survey, while others returned home. From the narratives about how the war changed their lives, a number of episodes were identified that described the changes that occurred in the awareness and experience of national-civic identity. Changes were recorded in the components of social identification as: self-categorization; evaluation; importance; attachment and sense of interdependence; social embeddedness ; behavioral involvement. During the analysis, the following trends were identified: 1 — a change in the place of national-civic identity among other group affiliations, its transition to the place of the dominant self-identification; 2 — strengthening a positive attitude towards national-civic identity both from within, at the personal level, and from the outside, on the part of other national communities; 3 — strengthening the importance of national-civil self-identification due to its awareness, transformation of hidden importance into explicit one; 4 — increased emotional attachment due to an increased feeling that the fate of the group and personal fate are inseparable; unifying own sense of “I” with the group “We”; 5 — strengthening social inclusion against the backdrop of a general increase in interpersonal support; 6 — growth of behavioral practices (linguistic, cultural, volunteer) aimed at strengthening national-civic identity.
Research in psychology can have various foci, ranging from the psychological dynamics of single individuals to the generalization across individuals, often termed idiographics and nomothetics, respectively. However, terminological ambiguities have limited communication clarity about idiographics and nomothetics. Importantly, whether studies are suitable for idiographic and/or nomothetic inferences is not categorical but rather a matter of degree. Therefore, we propose a list of concrete, better-defined methodological aspects characterizing individual studies. Specifically, we highlight 16 different decisions researchers have to make pertaining to (1) research question, (2) research design, and (3) analyses and interpretation. These decisions are introduced with a focus on personality psychology but apply to psychological research broadly. We discuss the different decisions with an emphasis on their relation to idiographic and nomothetic inferential goals. Rather than providing specific recommendations, we emphasize the importance of aligning the methodology of a given study with the research question and theory. Overall, this overview seeks to help researchers make relevant decisions more intentionally to help them tailor their studies to their inferential goals.
Recent technological developments have led to an increased density of recorded life episodes. To understand how creating and sharing such immense amounts of data shapes the way individuals remember their past, we propose a model for autobiographical memory in the digital age (AMEDIA-Model) that systematizes the existing literature and sketches avenues for future research. The model views autobiographical remembering in the digital age as the result of the iterative process of combining information stored in the mind and information stored in the environment using high-tech applications. Moreover, the way autobiographical memories are (re-)constructed crucially depends on the way the information has been encoded and curated: Autobiographical remembering in the digital age is not a uniform process but is fundamentally shaped by the technology and the data that is being used. The AMEDIA-Model offers a framework for understanding technology-mediated human cognition in the 21st century.
Purpose
Resilience of long-lived family businesses has been widely acknowledged but the mechanisms enabling longevity need to be further investigated. This can be done by examining how narratives about crisis situations are processed in family firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on narrative interviews, this qualitative study examines how crisis situations have been dealt with and narrated by long-lived German family firms.
Findings
Narratives of survival can have a strengthening effect so they become also narratives for survival. The analysis reveals how the constructive management of crises contributes to emotional attachment, identification and commitment and also strengthens resilience and longevity.
Originality/value
The study contributes to narrative identity theory by answering calls for narrative analysis and capturing the influence of narratives on family firms and business families. The discussion of the findings leads to the narrative processing model showing how past crises are processes to gain identity and resilience in the future and how the business family can influence this process.
Determining how narrative identity relates to psychological functioning is important for understanding how psychopathology develops and is maintained. The present study investigated whether transdiagnostic factors mediate and/or moderate associations of narrative identity with psychological functioning. We analysed data from n = 245 University students who completed an online survey measuring turning point narratives, transdiagnostic factors and psychological functioning. Results indicated that rumination and emotion dysregulation, but not overgeneral memory, mediated the relationship between lower causal coherence and psychological functioning. Contrary to predictions, neither attachment security nor memory tone moderated any relationships between narrative identity and psychological functioning. These pathways may be particularly important for understanding the development and maintenance of psychopathology.
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