人追寻生命意义的动机从哪里来？“缺失修复观”认为，追寻源于缺乏，意义缺乏或危机驱动个体追寻意义。意义一旦获得满足，个体便失去继续追寻的动力。因此，意义体验与意义追寻是反向变化关系。“生命成长观”则认为，对意义的追寻源于人的灵性。个体越是体验到意义，越是愿意追寻更多的意义。因此个体的意义体验水平越高，其追寻水平也越高。两种相互矛盾的观点长期并存，形成意义追寻起因问题上所谓的“缺失修复观—生命成长观”悖论。而实证研究显示，意义体验—意义追寻关系弱且不稳定，时而正相关、时而负相关或不相关。本文试图从生命意义感多成分视角，通过模拟生命意义的三个独立侧面——充盈、危机和追寻，达到理解体验—追寻关系和探索意义追寻动机起源的目的。研究通过3个阶段共5个研究达成上述目标。阶段1，工具开发（研究1、2、3），在分别提出和验证生命意义三个侧面均包括理解、目的、内部价值和外部价值四种相应成分的同时，开发按成分测量这些侧面的四成分存在意义量表（QEMS）。阶段2，横断研究（研究4），通过使用一系列传统单成分意义量表和QEMS调查613名本科生，重新检查或探索了体验—追寻关系、以往实证研究出现问题的原因，以及充盈和危机侧面下多种成分对追寻侧面下多种成分的影响（意义追寻动机的起源）。阶段3，纵向研究（研究5），通过使用QEMS两次追踪调查252名本科生（间隔1个月），验证意义充盈和危机侧面下多种成分对追寻侧面下多种成分的因果性影响。研究结果：（1）编制了能够按成分测量生命意义三个侧面的四成分存在意义量表（QEMS）。（2）确认了充盈、危机和追寻三个侧面均包括理解、目的、内部价值和外部价值四种相应的意义成分。（3）确认了意义体验与追寻整体上的同向变化关系。（4）发现了充盈和危机各成分对追寻各成分的复杂影响。研究贡献：（1）提出和验证了全面的生命意义 “四成分说”。（2）发现意义追寻既源于意义充盈，也源于意义缺失，解决了长期以来追寻起因问题的争论。（3）认识到生命意义对人既是“不可或缺”的，又是“永不餍足”的，是人类幸福的理想承载物。（4）显示了采取多侧面多成分视角对生命意义研究的重要性。（5）为存在主义治疗实践提供了增强意义追寻动机的方法和理论依据。
Where comes the motivation of human to search meaning in life? The view of “deficit correcting” holds that, meaning search proceeds from meaning deficit or crisis, and as soon as meaning need is satisfied, search effort will decline or disappear. Therefore, the higher one’s meaning level, the lower his search motivation. While the view of “life affirming” stands on the opposite, asserting that meaning search stems from human spirituality, and thus is unceasing. The more people experience meaning, the stronger their search willingness. The two contradictory views have been coexisting for long, forming the so-called "deficit correcting”-“life affirming” paradox. Regrettably, empirical research demonstrated that, meaning experience and meaning search could be correlated positively, negatively or unrelatedly.This dissertation attempts, from a multi-component perspective and via simulating three facets of meaning in life—meaningfulness, crisis and search, to attain the aim of understanding the experience-search relationship and exploring the cause of meaning search. The entire research comprises three phases. The first, an instrument development phase (including Study1–3), in parallel with proposing and testifying a hypothetical quadripartite view that the three facets of meaning in life all comprise four corresponding components of comprehension, purpose, appreciation and mattering, develops an instrument(QEMS) that can respectively measure the three facets in terms of their components. Study 4 is a cross-sectional study. By surveying 613 undergraduates, the study explored the relationship between meaningfulness, meaning crisis and meaning search. Study 5 is a longitudinal study. By tracking 252 undergraduates in two separate sessions, the study explored the complicated causalities between the components of meaningfulness and crisis facets and the components of meaning search.Results: (1) Compiled the Quadripartite Existential Meaning Scale (QEMS), to effectively tap all facets of meaning in life in terms of four components. (2) Proposed a "quadripartite theory", holding meaning in life as composed of coherence, purpose, appreciation and mattering. (3) Uncovered the overall positive correlation between meaning experience and meaning search. (4) Revealed the diverse causalities between the components of meaningfulness, meaning crisis and meaning search.Contributions: (1) Proposed and testified a general “quadripartite view” about meaning in life; (2) Solved the long-standing “deficit correcting”-“life affirming” paradox; (3) Recognized that meaning to human is both "indispensable" and "never satiated, and thus suitable to carry human happiness. (4) Showed the importance to meaning study from the perspective of multiple facets and components; (5) Provided suggestions in enhancing meaning search for existential therapy.
