Proceedings of the Meaning in Life International Conference 2022 - Cultivating, Promoting, and Enhancing Meaning in Life Across Cultures and Life Span (MIL 2022)
Conference name: Proceedings of the Meaning in Life International Conference 2022 - Cultivating, Promoting, and Enhancing Meaning in Life Across Cultures and Life Span (MIL 2022)
Date: 22-25 June 2022
Location: Hong Kong (Online)
Website: https://meaninginlife2022.hksyu.edu/ The Meaning in Life 2022 International Conference on Cultivating, Promoting, and Enhancing Meaning in Life Across Cultures and Life Span was co-organized by Hong Kong Shue Yan University (Positive Psychology Laboratory), Gratia Christian College, Colorado State University (Center for Meaning and Purpose), and Tung Wah College. It was held on June 22–25, 2022, online and live, at the Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. The concept of meaning in life (MIL) has recently earned a renaissance of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although MIL has always been framed as significant for human survival, it has simultaneously been portrayed as chronically lacking in people’s lives. Furthermore, though MIL has been seen as a universal need, it is also highly idiosyncratic. These paradoxes of MIL being a basic necessity but also a rare commodity, and as being universal yet idiosyncratic, have driven the quest for meaning throughout history and across disciplines. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only been changing and impacting the ways we live, but also initiates us to quest more about what still makes life meaningful in this chaotic, challenging, and uncertain world? The increasing quest for MIL provides the driver for meaning-enhancing interventions and meaning-centered practices, but the efficacy of these interventions is influenced by cultural and developmental moderators. Thus, the MIL International Conference 2022 focused on the theme of cultivating, promoting, and enhancing meaning in life across cultures and life span. Through open calls for paper submissions, the Conference Committee received close to 45 proposals. Upon completion of the rigorous peer-review process, 12 high-quality manuscripts are chosen for the post-conference edited volume and 4 manuscripts contributed by four of the keynote speakers. The book is broadly categorized into four parts—Part I: MIL 2022 Keynote Speakers (chapters “Making Meaning in Life: A Thematic Review of Successful Experimental Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Interventions”, “Meaning in Life Across Cultures and Times: An Evidence-Based Overview”, “Leveraging the Experience Sampling Method to Study Meaning in Everyday Life”, and “Finding Meaning in the Unexpected: Underexplored Pathways to Discovering and Cultivating Meaning in Life”), Part II: Meaning in Life Across Cultures (chapters “The Role of Meaning in Life during COVID-19 Pandemic on Young Adults’ Future Perspectives in Italy and Portugal”, “Satisfaction With Life and Career Indecision in Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Presence of Meaning in Life”, “Between Career and Motherhood: Understanding Female Academics’ Pursuit of Success with Hofstede’s “Masculinity/Femininity” Dimension”, and “Relationship between Four Needs of Meaning and Smartphone Usage”), Part III: Meaning in Life Across Lifespan (chapters “The Association Between Stress Exposure, Traumatic Stress and Post-Traumatic Growth Among Hong Kong Young Adults Under the “Double-hit” of Social Unrest and COVID-19”, “Using Path Analysis to Investigate Predictors of Problematic Internet use among Hong Kong Adolescents”, “Does Music Matter? The Role of Music Listening and Meaning in Life in Reducing Stress of Hong Kong People”, and “Awareness of Meaning: The Mechanism Between Future Orientation and Prosocial Tendency”), and Part IV (chapters “Comparative Analyses of Theosis, Theory of the True Self and Search for Meaning in Life: Diverse Approaches to Self-transcendence”, “Christian Faith Enhances Meaning in Life”, “The Mediating Role of Prosocial Behavior and Meaning in Life in the Relationship Between Religiosity and Attitude Towards People With Intellectual Disability (ID) of Hong Kong Young Adults”, and “Elderly Facing Death During the Pandemic: The Ethical Dilemma of Hong Kong Christians”). We are grateful that the MIL 2022 Conference has successfully attracted numerous renowned scholars and experienced practitioners to share their latest research, recent observations, and recent clinical experiences with the conference participants from Australia, Asia, Europe, the UK, and the USA. On behalf of the Conference Organizing Committee, we would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to our keynote speakers for the three-day conference and half-day panel session, namely Professor Michael F. Steger, Colorado State University; Dr. Joel Vos, Metanoia Institute; Professor Samantha J. Heintzelman, Rutgers University; Dr. Pninit Russo-Netzer, Achva Academic College; Professor Satoshi Shimai, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences; Dr. Travis Proulx, Cardiff University; Professor Lap-Yan Kung, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr. Raymond Ho-Man Kong, Educational University of Hong Kong; Ms. Jessica Chan, Methodist Centre for Quality Life Education; Ms. Mon Yick-Man Lam, St. James’ Settlement. We would also like to show our sincere appreciation for the hard work of all chapter contributors and peer reviewers. Without the helping hand and great support of them, this book volume would not have been possible. Alex Chi-Keung Chan
Michael F. Steger
Raymond Chi-Fai Chui
Nicolson Yat-Fan Siu
Susanna Chung Ping Wong Ip
Bess Yin-Hung Lam October 2022
Date: 22-25 June 2022
Location: Hong Kong (Online)
Website: https://meaninginlife2022.hksyu.edu/ The Meaning in Life 2022 International Conference on Cultivating, Promoting, and Enhancing Meaning in Life Across Cultures and Life Span was co-organized by Hong Kong Shue Yan University (Positive Psychology Laboratory), Gratia Christian College, Colorado State University (Center for Meaning and Purpose), and Tung Wah College. It was held on June 22–25, 2022, online and live, at the Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China. The concept of meaning in life (MIL) has recently earned a renaissance of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although MIL has always been framed as significant for human survival, it has simultaneously been portrayed as chronically lacking in people’s lives. Furthermore, though MIL has been seen as a universal need, it is also highly idiosyncratic. These paradoxes of MIL being a basic necessity but also a rare commodity, and as being universal yet idiosyncratic, have driven the quest for meaning throughout history and across disciplines. The COVID-19 pandemic has not only been changing and impacting the ways we live, but also initiates us to quest more about what still makes life meaningful in this chaotic, challenging, and uncertain world? The increasing quest for MIL provides the driver for meaning-enhancing interventions and meaning-centered practices, but the efficacy of these interventions is influenced by cultural and developmental moderators. Thus, the MIL International Conference 2022 focused on the theme of cultivating, promoting, and enhancing meaning in life across cultures and life span. Through open calls for paper submissions, the Conference Committee received close to 45 proposals. Upon completion of the rigorous peer-review process, 12 high-quality manuscripts are chosen for the post-conference edited volume and 4 manuscripts contributed by four of the keynote speakers. The book is broadly categorized into four parts—Part I: MIL 2022 Keynote Speakers (chapters “Making Meaning in Life: A Thematic Review of Successful Experimental Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Interventions”, “Meaning in Life Across Cultures and Times: An Evidence-Based Overview”, “Leveraging the Experience Sampling Method to Study Meaning in Everyday Life”, and “Finding Meaning in the Unexpected: Underexplored Pathways to Discovering and Cultivating Meaning in Life”), Part II: Meaning in Life Across Cultures (chapters “The Role of Meaning in Life during COVID-19 Pandemic on Young Adults’ Future Perspectives in Italy and Portugal”, “Satisfaction With Life and Career Indecision in Italian University Students: The Mediating Role of Presence of Meaning in Life”, “Between Career and Motherhood: Understanding Female Academics’ Pursuit of Success with Hofstede’s “Masculinity/Femininity” Dimension”, and “Relationship between Four Needs of Meaning and Smartphone Usage”), Part III: Meaning in Life Across Lifespan (chapters “The Association Between Stress Exposure, Traumatic Stress and Post-Traumatic Growth Among Hong Kong Young Adults Under the “Double-hit” of Social Unrest and COVID-19”, “Using Path Analysis to Investigate Predictors of Problematic Internet use among Hong Kong Adolescents”, “Does Music Matter? The Role of Music Listening and Meaning in Life in Reducing Stress of Hong Kong People”, and “Awareness of Meaning: The Mechanism Between Future Orientation and Prosocial Tendency”), and Part IV (chapters “Comparative Analyses of Theosis, Theory of the True Self and Search for Meaning in Life: Diverse Approaches to Self-transcendence”, “Christian Faith Enhances Meaning in Life”, “The Mediating Role of Prosocial Behavior and Meaning in Life in the Relationship Between Religiosity and Attitude Towards People With Intellectual Disability (ID) of Hong Kong Young Adults”, and “Elderly Facing Death During the Pandemic: The Ethical Dilemma of Hong Kong Christians”). We are grateful that the MIL 2022 Conference has successfully attracted numerous renowned scholars and experienced practitioners to share their latest research, recent observations, and recent clinical experiences with the conference participants from Australia, Asia, Europe, the UK, and the USA. On behalf of the Conference Organizing Committee, we would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to our keynote speakers for the three-day conference and half-day panel session, namely Professor Michael F. Steger, Colorado State University; Dr. Joel Vos, Metanoia Institute; Professor Samantha J. Heintzelman, Rutgers University; Dr. Pninit Russo-Netzer, Achva Academic College; Professor Satoshi Shimai, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences; Dr. Travis Proulx, Cardiff University; Professor Lap-Yan Kung, Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr. Raymond Ho-Man Kong, Educational University of Hong Kong; Ms. Jessica Chan, Methodist Centre for Quality Life Education; Ms. Mon Yick-Man Lam, St. James’ Settlement. We would also like to show our sincere appreciation for the hard work of all chapter contributors and peer reviewers. Without the helping hand and great support of them, this book volume would not have been possible. Alex Chi-Keung Chan
Michael F. Steger
Raymond Chi-Fai Chui
Nicolson Yat-Fan Siu
Susanna Chung Ping Wong Ip
Bess Yin-Hung Lam October 2022