{"title":"The Privilege of Well-Being in an Increasingly Unequal Society","authors":"Carol D. Ryff","doi":"10.1177/09637214241266818","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241266818","url":null,"abstract":"This article provides an overview of a model of psychological well-being put forth over 30 years ago. The intent was to advance new dimensions of positive functioning based on integration of clinical, developmental, existential, and humanistic thinking along with Aristotle’s writings about eudaimonia. The operationalization and validation of the model are briefly described, followed by an overview of scientific findings organized around (a) demographic and experiential predictors of well-being, (b) well-being as predictors of health and biomedical outcomes, (c) pathway studies that examine intervening processes (moderators, mediators), and (d) underlying mechanistic processes (neuroscience, genomics). Much prior work underscores the benefits of well-being, including for longevity. Widening socioeconomic inequality is, however, increasingly compromising the well-being of disadvantaged segments of the population. These problems have been exacerbated by recent historical stressors (Great Recession, COVID-19 pandemic). Cumulative hardships from these events and their implications for health are critical targets for future science and practice.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142084737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Does Science Erode Meaning?","authors":"Jessica L. Tracy, Ian Hohm, Ari Makridakis","doi":"10.1177/09637214241262709","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241262709","url":null,"abstract":"Humans need to experience meaning in their lives yet often find it difficult to do so. We argue that, for nonreligious individuals in many Western cultures, the materialist and reductionist ideology that surrounds scientific practice and data may be an impediment to attaining a robust sense of meaning in life. Furthermore, scientific materialism and reductionism may be especially problematic for existential mattering—the form of meaning entailing a belief that one’s life matters in the context of the universe as a whole. We review new research supporting this account, along with implications for those immersed in the materialist worldview. We conclude by suggesting possible means of finding meaning, including a sense of existential mattering, without abandoning science, and highlight research directions to further examine these possibilities.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141915252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Metajudgment: Metatheories and Beliefs About Good Judgment Across Societies","authors":"Igor Grossmann, Richard E. Eibach","doi":"10.1177/09637214241262335","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241262335","url":null,"abstract":"We introduce the concept of “metajudgment” to provide a framework for understanding folk standards people use to navigate everyday decisions. Defined as a set of metatheories and beliefs about different types of judgment, metajudgment serves as the guiding principle behind the selection and application of reasoning strategies in various contexts. We review emerging studies on metajudgment to identify common dimensions, such as intuition versus deliberative reasoning and rationality versus reasonableness. These dimensions are examined across multiple societies. The reviewed findings illuminate an apparent paradox: Universal adaptive challenges produce largely consistent folk standards of judgment across cultures, whereas situational demands drive systematic within-person variability. Metajudgment offers a comprehensive framework for understanding diverse reasoning patterns in individual and cross-cultural contexts, calling for greater attention to the ecologically sensitive study of within-person judgmental variability.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"83 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141910322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Need for Social Embeddedness: Human Belonging Goes Beyond Dyadic Bonds","authors":"Shira Gabriel, Veronica Schneider","doi":"10.1177/09637214241257880","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241257880","url":null,"abstract":"We propose that much of modern human behavior can be understood as the outcome of a primitive and implicit desire for social embeddedness (i.e., a desire to belong to a larger, societal-level collective). Research from our lab suggests that people watch television, follow celebrities, and go to concerts and sporting events, at least in part, to fill this need. Connections to other research and implications for understanding human behavior are discussed.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"66 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141909010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Names Matter: Implications of Name “Whitening” for Ethnic Minority Discrimination and Well-Being","authors":"Monica Biernat, Xian Zhao, Emily C. Watkins","doi":"10.1177/09637214241247017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241247017","url":null,"abstract":"Names are important signifiers of identity, but for many ethnic minority–group members, names trigger discriminatory responses. Name anglicization (or name whitening) is one proactive response to ward off anticipated discrimination and to signal assimilation. We review evidence suggesting that name anglicization may reduce discrimination (compared with using an original ethnic name), but it burdens minority-group members and is linked to lower well-being. We suggest a solution to this dilemma: training proper pronunciation of ethnic names. We provide a model of how this simple intervention may improve interethnic interactions, signal inclusion, and reduce prejudice in both ethnic majority- and minority-group members.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141091766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Intuitive Theories and the Cultural Evolution of Morality","authors":"M. J. Crockett, Judy S. Kim, Yeon Soon Shin","doi":"10.1177/09637214241245412","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241245412","url":null,"abstract":"We explore the role of intuitive theories in the cultural evolution of moral cognition, integrating recent work across subfields of psychology and suggesting directions for future research. Focusing on intuitive theories in the moral domain concerning how people judge the moral value of actions and make inferences about moral character, we review evidence that the specific forms these theories take vary across individuals and can change via social learning. We propose that cultural selection can operate over the intuitive theories people apply in the moral domain, in which particular variants of intuitive moral theories can be more “successful” to the extent that they are cognitively efficient or provide reputational benefits. Finally, we explore some implications of considering moral cognition as a kind of cultural technology that can be innovated, considering whether intuitive moral theories help or hinder our ability to improve our collective moral norms or practices.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141074157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Inequality Cycle: How Psychology Helps Keep Economic Inequality in Place","authors":"Manuel J. Galvan, B. Keith Payne","doi":"10.1177/09637214241246553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241246553","url":null,"abstract":"Inequality is perpetuated, in part, by the psychological and behavioral tendencies that arise from the social context of inequality. Cognitive biases lead most people to see themselves as middle class, even when that perception does not align with economic reality. Those who perceive themselves as economically advantaged tend to view inequality as fair and legitimate, often dismissing proponents of redistributive solutions as ill-informed. And unequal contexts increase risky behaviors that can be profitable to some but are more likely to be costly for most. This research program suggests an inequality cycle, in which inequality experienced today tends to reproduce itself.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"135 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141073882","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christian Kandler, Simone Kühn, Bastian Mönkediek, Andreas J. Forstner, Wiebke Bleidorn
{"title":"A Multidisciplinary Perspective on Person-Environment Fit: Relevance, Measurement, and Future Directions","authors":"Christian Kandler, Simone Kühn, Bastian Mönkediek, Andreas J. Forstner, Wiebke Bleidorn","doi":"10.1177/09637214241242451","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241242451","url":null,"abstract":"Environments shape people, and at the same time, people are attracted to environments that fit their characteristics because fit facilitates the achievement of people’s desired life outcomes, such as relationship satisfaction, work success, and well-being. In this article, we outline how persons and environments can fit, the relevance of fit and misfit for different life outcomes, and the benefits and pitfalls of different (mis)fit measures. We propose three directions for future research: (a) the use of both subjective and objective (mis)fit measures; (b) the consideration of complex dynamics between person and environment characteristics via pathways through multiple biological, experiential, behavioral, and social layers across the life span; and (c) the integration of insights from different disciplines, including psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and genetics, to move the field forward.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"86 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140826386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"What Can Language Models Tell Us About Human Cognition?","authors":"Louise Connell, Dermot Lynott","doi":"10.1177/09637214241242746","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241242746","url":null,"abstract":"Language models are a rapidly developing field of artificial intelligence with enormous potential to improve our understanding of human cognition. However, many popular language models are cognitively implausible on multiple fronts. For language models to offer plausible insights into human cognitive processing, they should implement a transparent and cognitively plausible learning mechanism, train on a quantity of text that is achievable in a human’s lifetime of language exposure, and not assume to represent all of word meaning. When care is taken to create plausible language models within these constraints, they can be a powerful tool in uncovering the nature and scope of how language shapes semantic knowledge. The distributional relationships between words, which humans represent in memory as linguistic distributional knowledge, allow people to represent and process semantic information flexibly, robustly, and efficiently.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140820024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Blood Pressure and Social Algesia: The Unexpected Relationship Between the Cardiovascular System and Sensitivity to Social Pain","authors":"Tristen K. Inagaki, Peter J. Gianaros","doi":"10.1177/09637214241242463","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214241242463","url":null,"abstract":"Threats to social connectedness in the form of social and societal rejection, and the permanent loss of social bonds, are inevitable and common sources of social pain. However, sensitivity to social pain, also known as algesia, differs across individuals and contexts. Such sensitivity has implications for health, well-being, and the maintenance of social connection over time. What biological factors predict differences in sensitivity to social pain? Based on long-standing translational perspectives and emerging findings, the current review highlights blood pressure as a novel predictor of sensitivity to social pain: Higher resting blood pressure appears to relate to lower sensitivity to social pain. Despite evidence for this association, possible psychobiological bases and moderating influences are not yet established. Moreover, although higher blood pressure may afford tolerance for life’s many pains, the health-related implications and trade-offs of such an effect are unknown.","PeriodicalId":10802,"journal":{"name":"Current Directions in Psychological Science","volume":"42 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2024-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140808519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}