Description

Dr. Todd B. Kashdan is a Professor of Psychology and Founder of the Well-Being Laboratory at George Mason University. For over 25 years, he has been a leading authority on well-being, curiosity, purpose in life, psychological flexibility, and resilience. He has published over 250 peer-reviewed scientific articles and ranks among the top 1% of global scholars with more than 55,000 citations to his research. He is the author of several books such as Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life (William Morrow/HarperCollins), The Upside of Your Dark Side (Penguin), and The Art of Insubordination: How to Dissent and Defy Effectively (Avery/Penguin). He received the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Scientific Early Career Contributions to Psychology. His research is featured regularly in media outlets such as The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, NPR, Fast Company, and Time Magazine. He is a keynote speaker and consultant for organizations such as Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, Prudential, General Mills, the United States Department of Defense, the Federal Reserve, and the World Bank. He's a twin with twin 18-year-old daughters (and one more), with plans to rapidly populate the world with great conversationalists.

Abstract

Purpose in life remains a promising but neglected construct in psychological science. Research shows that the strength of purpose in a person’s life correlates with a wide range of desirable outcomes. Further, purpose serves as a basic dimension of healthy psychological functioning and a significant protective factor from psychopathology. While promising as a psychological construct, purpose is frequently misunderstood and mismeasured. Advancing the study of purpose requires addressing conceptual, measurement, and methodological problems. To counter problems in the existing literature, we (1) clarify what purpose is, (2) evaluate and advance the measurement of purpose, (3) reconsider the development and maintenance of purpose, and (4) consider the interpersonal (not just intrapersonal) nature of purpose. Our goal is to help scientists understand, specify, and conduct high-quality tests of purpose in life.