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Origins of and Supports for Purpose

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Purpose in Life

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Abstract

Chapter 5 synthesizes research on the evolutionary and developmental origins of purpose as well as on how the construct can intentionally be fostered. Evolutionary psychologists argue that the presence of purpose and meaning in life was likely adaptive in our evolutionary past. Developing a life purpose allowed people to solve existential problems, alleviate boredom, get motivated, and help others. Beyond evolutionary theories, developmental theories of the construct suggest that social support is critical to fostering the growth of purpose. While all young people are likely to benefit from pursing a life purpose, few individuals actually discover and commit to one. Therefore, this chapter will address theoretically and empirically based strategies for fostering purpose in different contexts. Research on the role of parents, peers, teachers, schools, mentors, and communities in supporting purpose will be discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ball State University, Muncie, USA

    Kendall Cotton Bronk

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  1. Kendall Cotton Bronk
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Correspondence to Kendall Cotton Bronk .

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Bronk, K.C. (2014). Origins of and Supports for Purpose. In: Purpose in Life. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7491-9_5

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