Collaboratively Conquering Death: Applying Pursuit of Meaning to This Ultimate Human Challenge

Applying Pursuit of Meaning to This Ultimate Human

Challenge

Collaboratively Conquering Death:

Presented at the First Congress on the Construction of Personal Meaning

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada—25 July 2014

Robin Lynn Treptow, PhD—Pediatric Peace PsychologistWisdom for the Body & for the Soul

1407 Park Garden Road—Great Falls, MT 59404(phone)1+406.899.1548

Robin Lynn Treptow, PhDWISDOM FOR THE BODY & FOR THE SOUL

[email protected] or [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

…name two psychological concepts or theories relevant to a meaning-focused

assertion that human death is not inevitable. …describe how meaning-centered principles (i.e., virtue) put into action

(i.e., conscientiousness) can reduce humans’ propensity to die.

…explain how individual meaning applied at the public health level can with practice yield improved personal (and societal level)

well-being.

*adaptable for the general public

The Canadian Psychological Association has approved this session for .5 units of Continuing Education

Collaboratively Conquering Death: Applying Pursuit of Meaning to This Ultimate Human Challenge

The words of Viktor E. FranklMan’s Search for Meaning

Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/2782.Viktor_E_Frankl


“When we are no longer able to

change a situation, we are challenged

to change ourselves.”

Conquering death as the ultimate superordinate goal…!

…human death can be conquered via the steady & intentional application of

meaning-centered principles (that is, virtue) to restore

behavioral contingency to diverse & sundry aspects

of healthy living…



“Becker (1973) emphasizes the terror of death

because of the human capacity to

foresee one’s demise.”Wong, P.T.P. (Editor). (2013). The human quest for meaning: Theories, research, and applications (2nd Ed.;

Introduction). Routledge: New York, NY

(Wong, 2013, p. xli--Introduction)

Langs, R. (2004). Death anxiety & the emotion-processing mind. Psychoanalytic Psychology,21(1), 31-53. doi:10.1037/0736-9735.21.1.31

“…in our unconscious

mind, we have no idea of our mortality…”

…an idea attributed to Sigmund Freud

Totem & Taboo (circa 1915)…


Does everyone really need to

die?Applying virtue ethics & psychology to test

the edges of existential angst & its sequel of human death


Hippocrates—c. 460 – c. 370 BC—emphasis mine

Translated WHS Jones. Harvard University Press, 1923.

"examine the face of the patient—& see

whether it is like the faces of

healthy people —& especially whether

it is like its usual self.”

Conquering death as the ultimate superordinate goal…!

We are all in this together…


10

What do we know?

Psychological concepts or theories relevant to a meaning-focused assertion that human death is not inevitable.

Get on board for human harmony: Creatively embracing peace-making skills amidst cultural

diversity

Pyszczynski, T., Greenberg, J., Solomon, S. (1999). A theoretical & empirical review of the death-thought accessibility concept in terror management research. Psychological Bulletin, 136(5), 699-739. Hayes, J., Schimel, J., Arndt, J. & Faucher, E. H. (2010). A theoretical & empirical review of the death-thought accessibility concept in terror management research. Psychological Bulletin, 136(5), 699-739.

“...much of our daily behavior is motivated by

ongoing unconscious

concerns about death.”

Hayes, J., Schimel, J., Arndt, J. & Faucher, E. H. (2010, p. 699)

Terror Management Theory

Greenberg, J., Martens, A., Jonas, E., Eisenstadt, D., Tyszczynski, T., & Solomon, S. (2003). Psychological defense in anticipation of anxiety: Elimination the potential for anxiety elimiate the effect of mortality salience on worldview defense. Psychological Science, 14(5), 516-519.

“…humans have an innate desire for

survival, and consequently are

inclined to experience fear

whenever survival is threatened…


(Greenberg et al., 2003, p. 519)

Most humans expect to die

…biologically programmed to live…not die…

Greenberg, J., Martens, A., Jonas, E., Eisenstadt, D., Pyszczynski, T., & Solomon, S. (2003). Psychological defense in anticipation of anxiety: Eliminating the potential for anxiety eliminates the effect of mortality salience on worldview defense. Psychological Science, 14(5), 516-519.

“…humans are EXPLICITLY AWARE that death, unlike other

things feared, is

inevitable.”

Greenberg et al. (2010, p. 516)


Terror Management Theory

Goldenberg, J. L. & Arndt, J. (2008). The implications of death for health: A Terror Management Health Model for behavioral health promotion. Psychological Review, 115(4), 1032-1053.

“…conscious & nonconscious

awareness of death can influence the motivational orientation

that is most operative in the context of health decisions…”

(Goldenberg & Arndt, 2008, p. 1032


Terror Management Health Model

“…conscious thoughts about

death can instigate HEALTH-ORIENTED

RESPONSES aimed at removing death-related thoughts from focal attention…”


(Goldenberg & Arndt, 2008, p. 1032Goldenberg, J. L. & Arndt, J. (2008). The implications of death for health: A Terror Management Health Model for behavioral health promotion. Psychological Review, 115(4), 1032-1053.


“…the unconscious resonance of

death-related cognition promotes

SELF-ORIENTED DEFENSES

directed toward maintaining, not one’s

health, but a sense of meaning &

self-esteem.”



(Goldenberg & Arndt, 2008, p. 1032Goldenberg, J. L. & Arndt, J. (2008). The implications of death for health: A Terror Management Health Model for behavioral health promotion. Psychological Review, 115(4), 1032-1053.

“…confrontations with the physical

bodymay undermine the symbolic defenses

and thus present a previously

unrecognized barrier to health promotion

activities…”


Goldenberg, J. L. & Arndt, J. (2008). The implications of death for health: A Terror Management Health Model for behavioral health promotion. Psychological Review, 115(4), 1032-1053.


(Goldenberg & Arndt, 2008, p. 1032

“You will die…we all will die…”

“Death is a part of life.”

“Yes, someday Mama will die—but that will not be for a

long time.”

“Where did grandma go?”

Werner-Lin, A. & Gardner, D. S. (2008). Family illness narratives of inherited cancer risk: Continuity & transformation. Family Systems, & Health,27(3), 201-212. doi:10.1037/a00169883



Is it “Self-fulfilling prophecy”?

•Health-related outcomes •Negative aging-related cognition habits

correlate with fewer healthy actions (Wurm et al., 2013)

•Positive aging expectations predict health care behavior (Meisner & Baker, 2013)

•Developmental models of aging are yet in progress

(Gerstorf et al., 2013)

Wurm, S., Warner, L. M., Ziegelmann, J. P., Wolff, J. K., & Schüz, B. (2013). How do negative self-perceptions of aging become a self-fulfilling prophecy? Psychology & Aging, 28(4), 1088-1097.Meisner, B. A. & Baker, J. (2013). Brief report—An exploratory analysis of aging expectations & health care behaviors among aging adults. Psychology & Aging, 28(1), 99-104. doi:10.1037/a0029295 Gerstorf, D., Ram, N., Lindenberger, U., & Smith, J. (2013). Age and time-to-death trajectories of change in indicators of cognitive, sensory, physical, health, social, and self-related functions. Developmental Psychology, 49(10), 1805-1821. doi:10.1037/a0031340



Is it “Self-fulfilling prophecy”?

Kotter-Grühn, D., Kleinspehn-Ammerlahn, A., Gerstorf, D., & Smith, J. (2009). Self-perceptions of aging predict mortality & change with approaching death: 16-year longitudinal results from the Berlin aging study. Psychology & Aging, 24(3), 654-667.

• Lower aging satisfaction

• Older subjective age (i.e., how old one ‘feels’)

• A less favorable change pattern (E.G.,

greater DECLINE IN AGING SATISFACTION)


(Kotter-Grijhn et al., 2009, p. 655)


…self-perceptions of aging change with approaching death—and predict

mortality…

Kotter-Grühn, D., Kleinspehn-Ammerlahn, A., Gerstorf, D., & Smith, J. (2009). Self-perceptions of aging predict mortality & change with approaching death: 16-year longitudinal results from the Berlin aging study. Psychology & Aging, 24(3), 654-667.

“…when people experience losses in physical health or cognitive fitness, they attribute the change to the aging

process…”


(Kotter-Grijhn et al., 2009, p. 655)


…how people think about ‘aging’ are intricately linked to pathways of

dying in old age…


Ryff, C. D. (1991). Possible selves in adulthood & old age: A tale of shifting horizons. Psychology & Aging, 6(2), 286-295. Doi: 10.1037/0882-7974.6.2.286

“…the two younger groups expected

continued gains in the years ahead,

whereas the oldest respondents foresaw

decline on most aspects of well-

being…”


(Ryff, 1991, p. 293)

Even persons with health, education, & economic advantages wee diminished functioning in the years

ahead.

http://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0882-7974.6.2.286

Exercise science“…gradual loss of

muscle strength is the main reason[the]

elderly…have difficulty performing tasks of daily living

and ultimately lose their independence…”

(Peterson, 2008, p. vii)Peterson, T. (2008). SrFit: The personal trainer’s resource for senior fitness. American Academy of Health & Fitness.



“Normal aging”—or simply disuse?

“…This phenomena is called sarcopenia (derived from Greek words for “vanishing flesh”) & is NOT an

inevitable consequence of aging.

Peterson, T. (2008). SrFit: The personal trainer’s resource for senior fitness. American Academy of Health & Fitness.



Sarcopenia—or “vanishing flesh”

Instead, it is an inevitable

consequence of disuse…” (Peterson, 2008. p. vii)

Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., Teasdale, J. D. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique & reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87(1), 49-74.

• How I live will not impact whether or not I will die

Objective noncontingency—>>

• Others I know died—even if they lived well

Perception of present/past

noncontingency—>• How others lived did not affect whether they died

Attribution for present/past

noncontingency—>• How I live will not affect whether or not I die

Expectation of future

noncontingency—>


“universal learned helplessness”


How I live will have no impact upon whether or not

I will die

“…nothing can be done—by me or by anyone else!”

& no action follows…Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., Teasdale, J. D. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique & reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87(1), 49-74.


symptoms of helplessness


“universal learned helplessness”

•Perceived control predicted•Memory declines (midlife/old age)

•Functional & physiological health

•Mediated by •Levels of physical activity

•Indicators of physical fitness & cardiovascular & metabolic health

Infurna F. J. & Gerstorf, D. (2013). Linking perceived control, physical activity, & biological health to memory change. Psychology & Aging, 28(4), 1147-1163. Infurna F. J. & Gerstorf, D. (2014). Perceived control relates to better functional health and lower metabolic risk: The mediating role of physical activity. Health Psychology, 33(1), 85-94.



Perceived control is a critical factor

Infurna F. J. & Gerstorf, D. (2013). Linking perceived control, physical activity, & biological health to memory change. Psychology & Aging, 28(4), 1147-1163. Seligman, M. E. P. (2008). Positive Health. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57, 3-18. doi:10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00351.x

“Our results suggest that control may serve as a facilitator of

positive health outcomes, including functional health,

cardio-metabolic risk, & physical activity.”




(Infurna & Gerstorf, 2013, p. 1147)

Friedman, H.S. & Kern, M.L. (2014). Personality, well-being & health. Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 710-742.

Individuals who are CONSCIENTIOUS

—that is,prudent, dependable,

well organized, & persistent—

STAY HEALTHIER, THRIVE, & LIVE

LONGER… the size of this effect is equal to or

greater than that of many known biomedical risk factors.”(Friedman & Kern, 2014, p. 731)




Seligman, M. E. P. (2008). Positive Health. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 57, 3-18. doi:10.1111/j.1464-0597.2008.00351.x

“positive health”1

—operationalized as“a combination of

excellent status on biological,

subjective, & functional measures”




(Seligman, 2008, p. 3)

1Shankar, A., McMunn, A., Banks, J., & Steptoe, A. (2011). Loneliness, social isolation, and behavioral and biological indicators in older adults. Health Psychology, 30(4), 377-385.2Poulin, M. J. (2014). Volunteering predicts health among those who value others: Two national studies. Health Psychology, 33(2), 120-129.3Bowen, K. S., Uchino, B. N., Birmingham, W., Carlisle, M., Smith, T. W., & Light, K. C. (2013, November 18). The stress-buffering effects of functional social support on ambulatory blood pressure. Health Psychology. Advance online publication.. doi:10.1037/heaoooooo5

•Loneliness1

•Volunteering (if one values others)2

•Functional social support3

Physical health moderated by:



Attachment bonds as a critical factor

perceived availability of social ties that can provide helpful info or advice

1DeSteno, D., Gross, J. J., & Kubzansky, L. (2013). Affective science & health: The importance of emotion & emotion regulation. Health Psychology, 32(5), 474-486.2Robles, T. F., Slatcher, R. B., Trombello, J. M., & McGinn, M. M. (2014). Marital quality & health: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin, 140(1), 140-187. doi:10.1037/a00318593Gick, M. L. & Sirois, F. M. (2010). Insecure attachment moderates women’s adjustment to Irritable bowel disease severity. Rehabilitation Psychology, 55(2), 170-179. doi:10.1037/a0019358

•Affect regulation1

•Marital relationships2

•Security of attachment3




Physical health moderated by:

Does death result when someone no

longer has a strong attachment bond with at least one other person?

Cox, C. R., Arndt, J., Pyszczynski, T., Greenberg, J., Abdollahi, A., & Solomon, S. (2008). Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 94(4), 696-717.

“If affectional ties to the parents are an enduring bond across the lifespan, then such attachment may play a pivotal role in the way adults manage existential

concern about their mortality…”



Attachment bonds as a critical factor

34

What is the method?

Meaning-centered principles (i.e., virtue) put into action (i.e., conscientiousness) to reduce humans’ propensity to die.


Greenberg, J., Martens, A., Jonas, E., Eisenstadt, D., Pyszczynski, T., & Solomon, S. (2003). Psychological defense in anticipation of anxiety: Eliminating the potential for anxiety eliminates the effect of mortality salience on worldview defense. Psychological Science, 14(5), 516-519.

“…rather than producing the

actual experience of anticipatory anxiety,

MS [mortality salience] signals

a potential for

anxiety…”


Greenberg et al. (2010, p. 516)


Can meaningfulness make a difference?

Burns, D. (1980). Adapted from Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy (New York: William Morrow & Company;, 1980; Signet, 1981). Retrieved on 23 May 2014 from http://www.apsu.edu/sites/apsu.edu/files/counseling/COGNITIVE_0.pdf


All or nothing thinking: It sees aging & dying in absolute, black & white terms—“I am going to die; everyone I know has died.”Mental filter: It dwells on the negatives (bad things that may happen—“I will do less & less as I get older—and eventually die.”) & ignores the positives (what can be done—“Exercise helps prevent ‘aging.’).Overgeneralization: It views the state of a person’s body as a never-ending pattern of decay– “As I get older, my body will not work so well as it did before.”Jumping to conclusions: Decides in advance the outcome of an aging body—“My body is old; I am going to die someday.”



Modified from Abel, J. (2014, 16 July). Treatment resistant anxiety, worry, & panic: 60 effective strategies. Sponsored by PESI, Inc., Billings, MT.


Finding the ‘want’: I want to live & to live fully without dying.

Self-control desensitization: Catching the anxiety early so that it does not interfere with healthy choices.Mindfulness: If one is ‘living in the present’ then thoughts of death need not intrude—death thoughts result from either ‘past’ or ‘future’ thinking.



Modified from Abel, J. (2014, 16 July). Treatment resistant anxiety, worry, & panic: 60 effective strategies. Sponsored by PESI, Inc., Billings, MT.


Facing fears: Instead of negatively reinforcing them.Habituation & desensitization: Everything we do to face our fears weakens our fears; everything we do to avoid or escape our fears strengthens them.Response prevention: Keep oneself actively engaged with the activities of life—do not allow ‘getting old’ thoughts to dominate one’s psyche.



“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment & exercise, not too much & not too little, we would have found the safest way to health.”Hippocrates—c. 460 – c. 370 BC

Hippocrates, trans. WHS Jones. Harvard University Press, 1923.




•Physical discomfort•Diabetes

•Body composition•Cardiovascular health•Musculoskeletal health

•Mental health•Activities of daily living

Exercise’s benefits

Westcott, W. L. & La Rosa Loud, R. (2013). Enhancing resistance training results with protein/carbohydrate supplementation. American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, 17(2), 10-15.




•Skeletal muscle

•Tendons & connective tissue •Joints

•Skeletal•Mental health

•Metabolic•Cardiovascul

ar

Exercise’s benefits

Fentem, P. H. (1994). Benefits of exercise in health & disease. British Journal of Medicine, 308, 1291-1295.







“Healthy eating may be best achieved with a

plant-based diet, which we define

as a regimen that encourages whole, plant-based foods & discourages

meats, dairyproducts, & eggs as well as all refined & processed

foods.”Tuso et al., 2013, p. 61)Tuso, P. J., Ismail, M. H., Ha, B. P., & Bartolotto, C. (2013). Nutritional update

for physicians: Plant-based diets. The Permanente Journal, 17(2), 61-65. Retrieved on 23 May 2014 from http://dx.doi.org/10.7812/TPP/12-085



Can meaningfulness make a difference?NationalCancer Institutehttp://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/physicalactivity

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/antioxidants

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATIONhttp://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/Diet-and-LifestyleRecommendations_UCM_305855_Article.jsp

American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/mens-health/diet-and-exercise/

American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/healthy/eathealthygetactive/

acsguidelinesonnutritionphysicalactivityforcancerprevention/nupa-guidelines-toc

The Mayo Clinicwww.mayoclinic.com/health/mayo-clinic-diet/my01646

The World Health Organizationhttp://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_recommendations/en/

http://www.cancer.org/healthy/eathealthygetactive/

http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_recommendations/en/

Health Self-Empowerment Theory “…engagement in health promoting

behaviors & avoidance of health-risk behaviors are influenced by the following five empirically based, modifiable, self-empowerment-oriented

variables: (a)health motivation (b)health self-efficacy

(c)self-praise of health-promoting behaviors

(d)health responsibility & (e)active coping strategies/skills

for managing stress & depressionTucker, C. M.,…Desmond, F. F. (2011). Development of the Motivators of & Barriers to Health-Smart Behaviors Inventory. Psychological Assessment, 23(2), 487-503. doi:10.1037/a0022299




“…introduce the promise of eudaimonia to guide a new generation of health promotion practices…”

“It is proposed that eudaimonic well-being—if explored,

understood, & implemented in a manner that holds true to the purity of the concept—offers

significant promise for shifts in health promotion practices that

may lead to transformative health experiences and enhanced quality

of life.” Kimiecik, J. (2011). Exploring the promise of eudaimonic wellbeing within the practice of health promotion: The “how” is as important as the “what.” Journal of Happiness Studies, 12(5), 769-792 [769-770].




(Kimiecik, 2011, p. 769-70)

Mann, T., de Ridder, D., & Fujita, K. (2013). Self-regulation of health behavior: Social psychological approaches to goal setting & goal striving. Health Psychology, 32(5), 487-498.

For example, they may

agree that health is important

without committing themselves to eating more vegetables & fruits or exercising regularly.” (p. 488)

“People may value good health without actually adopting a health goal that

guides their behavior:


Is it Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?


“…health goals compete with goals in other important life domains for

the scarce resources of time, energy, & money...” [P]eople are unlikely to

adopt a health goal if it would interfere with a goal that is more

important [meaningful] to them.




Wiesmann, U. & Hannich, H.-J. (2011). Salutogenic Perspectives on Health Maintenance: The role of resistance resources & meaningfulness. GeroPsych, 24(3), 127-135. doi:10.1024/1662-9647/a000040Tucker, C. M.,…Desmond, F. F. (2011). Development of the Motivators of & Barriers to Health-Smart Behaviors Inventory. Psychological Assessment, 23(2), 487-503. doi:10.1037/a0022299

“Meaningfulness [was]… the strongest predictor

[and] mediated the influence of both self-esteem & self-efficacy on multiple health

behaviors.”(Wiessman & Hannich, 2011,

p. 127)




49

1) Pursuit of worthwhile goals [i.e., living so as to make wise HEALTH choices]

2) Requiring strength of character [i.e., ability to choose to do what is BEST for oneself & others]

3) Knowledge about what is healthy4) Consistent action that is healthy5) Motivated by an a desire to avoid

death because of its weight upon others6) Guided by wise choices

THE VIRTUE OF LIVING SO AS TO AVOID DEATH—individualistic with an inherently communal focus—

Fowers, B. J. & Davidov, B. J. (2006). The virtue of multiculturalism: Personal transformation, character, and openness to the other. American Psychologist, 61(6), 581-594. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.61.6.581


(Modified from Fowers & Davidov, 2006)

Most humans expect to dieCan meaningfulness make a difference?

50

1) Intentionally [i.e., on purpose]

2) Through gradual efforts3) By practicing healthy behavior

4) By identifying & counteracting desires that are contrary to healthy behavior

5) By altering one’s cognitions to be in line with one’s knowledge about what is healthy

6) Becoming the kind of person who habitually engages in cognitions, emotions, & actions that

are healthy for oneself & for others.

How ‘the virtue of avoiding death’ is to be learned (Adapted from Fowers & Davidov, 2006)

Fowers, B. J. & Davidov, B. J. (2006). The virtue of multiculturalism: Personal transformation, character, and openness to the other. American Psychologist, 61(6), 581-594. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.61.6.581


Most humans expect to dieCan meaningfulness make a difference?

51

Will it matter?

How individual meaning applied at the public health level can—with practice—yield improved personal (and societal level) well-being.



“…Stories that chronicle illness & caregiving over

multiple generations are part of a

family’s collective knowledge…”1




“Greater freedom of narrative construction

may allow [us] to identify novel pathways to sustained physical &

mental health by focusing decision

making in the future rather than the past.”1

(p. 209)





CAN RIGHT LIVING PUT AN END TO HUMAN DEATH?1

See Friedman, H. S. & Kern, M. L. (2014). Personality, well-being, & health. Annual Review of Psychology,65, 719-42. doi:10.1146annurev-psych-010213-115123See Weng, H. Y. et al. (2013). Compassion training alters altruism and neural responses to suffering. Psychological Science,24(7), 1171-1180. doi:10.1146annurev-psych-010213-115123

What is empathy’s role?2

‘reality’of human‘aging’‘reality is an illusion; albeit a very persistent one’ —Albert

Einstein


Wong, P.T.P. (Editor). (2013). The human quest for meaning: Theories, research, and applications (2nd Ed.; Introduction). Routledge: New York, NY

“The inevitability of aging and death poses a unique challenge

to the task of meaningful living. This inevitability is no longer just a matter of

overcoming situational stress because it has to do with the global stress of human existence.”

(Wong, 2013, p. xxxxl--Introduction)




What is the key modus operandi? A

Healthy

Person

Positive health

prophecy

Secure attachmen

t to others

Plant-based

diet high in

nutrients & fibre

Exercise—including aerobics

& strength-trainingsecurely

attached relationships! Norcross, J. C. & Wampold, B. E. (2011). Evidence-based therapy relationships: Research conclusions and clinical practices. Psychotherapy, 48(1), 98-102. doi:10.1037/a0022161




SECURE ATTACHMENTS…PROVIDE SUFFICIENT MOTIVATION TO DO THE HARD PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL, & EMOTIONAL WORK THAT IS NEEDED…

Ammaniti, M. & Ferrari, P. (2013). Vitality affects in Daniel Stern’s thinking—A psychological & neurobiological perspective. Infant Mental Health Journal, 34(5), 367-376. doi: 10.1001/imhj

“These findings on the infant-mother relationship clearly indicate that our nervous system has been

constructed in such a way to be attuned to others’ living

experiences.” (Ammaniti & Ferrari, 2013,

p. 371)



Meaningful relationships make a difference

Wong, P.T.P. (Editor). (2013). The human quest for meaning: Theories, research, and applications (2nd Ed.; Introduction). Routledge: New York, NY

“Maddi focuses on adaptive cognitive-behavioral response to ontological threats in order to

create a positive future …[t]the existential courage and

decision to confront & experience uncertainty & threat are important for the experience

of meaning.” (Wong, 2012, p. xxxxl,

Introduction)




Fowers, B.J. & Davidov, B.J. (2007). Dialogue as the interplay of otherness & shared humaity. American Psychologist, (62)7, Oct 2007, 705-6. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.62.7.705

“…actualizing virtue always takes place in a concrete situation. Actions can only be virtuous if they are appropriate to the

characteristics of the situation & are in the service of a genuine

good.”(Fowers & Davidov, 2007, p.

705)




Shared virtues… across time & culture…

•Courage•Temperance

•Wisdom•Prudence•Humanity•Justice

Dahlsgaard, K., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Shared virtue: The convergence of valued human strengths across culture & history. Review of General Psychology, 9(3), 302-213.




“…human beings…come to interpret & understand

their world by formulating their own

biographical stories into a form that makes sense

to them.”Brocki, J. M. & Wearden, A. J. (2006). A critical evaluation of the use of interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) in health psychology. Psychology & Health, 21(1), 87-108.




Who knows—maybe death just means that our bodies wear out because we don’t take care of them—or the rest of us: our minds, our emotions, our

spirits. It makes sense to me that eating healthy or

exercising helps me—though it was a lot of hard work & a lot of doing without—but now I see that it definitely pays off with extra energy & umph for

life.



•Set an “approach” goal—you want to achieve a certain

outcome•Set a “mastery” goal

—you want to perform a certain skill better

•Look at both“feasibility” & “desirability”

— “unrealistic” goals may inspire (rather than undermine) goal

pursuit





• “Look ahead” to identify potential obstacles

—plan ways to stay focused on your goal

• Cue a “habit” for your goal

—set up a reminder for the action you want

• Help yourself to “prefer” the health goal’s outcome




Goal for healthy living

one small meaningful action at a time

…health becomes the norm… …& DEATH IS NO MORE…


…[t]he dominant themes of any narrative are largely

determined by the temporal & relationship context

within which stories are created & shared… (p.204)




“…powerful narratives may

become entrenched in families over generations…” (p.202)





“ …[w]hen the experiences of new generations support existing storylines,

family illness narratives are

reinforced for younger members…” (p.202)





…[f]amily narratives are frequently so ingrained in

family life that they are taken for granted & at face value, as metaphors passed down from one generation to the next…”

(p. 204)





…charting the evolution of stories over time allows [one]

to track the integration of transformative narratives & to identify potential targets

for intervention…” (p. 204)





Dare we imagine an alternate future story line…global health for

all…?Werner-Lin, A. & Gardner, D. S. (2008). Family illness narratives of inherited cancer risk: Continuity & transformation. Family Systems, & Health,27(3), 201-212. doi:10.1037/a00169883




“Virtue… provides a moral map……for how we ought to live our lives & how we ought to develop just & compassionate societies.”

Wong, T. P. (2011). Positive Psychology 2.0: Towards a balanced, interactive model of the good life. Canadian Psychology, 52(2), 69-81.

Can it also help us conquer death?




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Collaboratively Conquering Death: Applying Pursuit of Meaning to This Ultimate Human Challenge

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