The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns

Proposing that personal goals are what give meaning to life, this volume explores the role played by spirituality and religion in investing goals with significance. The concept of ultimate concerns is developed as a scientific construct and an innovative framework is presented for their assessment and measurement. Marshaling important findings from his own and others' research, Robert A. Emmons provides compelling insights into the links between spirituality, subjective well-being, and personality integration. He demonstrates how locating religion and spirituality within accepted scientific parameters can deepen our understanding of these pervasive dimensions of human experience. Further, the book makes a powerful case for the inclusion of ultimate concerns in any attempt to build a motivational theory of personality.