Personal meaning: A challenge for psychology

Abstract

The paper addresses the complexities associated with meaning as the object of psychological studies. Meaning is treated as a multifaceted entity that cannot be reduced to a single measurable trait-like or state-like variable. The challenge of studying meaning is split into several more focused challenges, including linguistic challenge, ontological challenge, structural challenge, anthropological challenge, dynamic challenge, and methodological challenge. The paper gives a referential view on meaning and suggests some methodological guidelines for meaning research.