Citation

Burrow AL, Hill PL. J. Environ. Psychol. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Academic Press)

DOI

10.1016/j.jenvp.2020.101436

PMID

32355392

PMCID

PMC7192066

Abstract

Psychological research suggests a sense of purpose in life is a coveted asset, with well-established linkages to well-being and healthy functioning. But how do individuals preserve this sense when previously reliable settings - and the opportunities they afford - are profoundly disrupted? The current moment provides a formidable test of this question, as widespread transmission of Covid-19 and intense efforts to slow it drastically transform our environment. Here, we consider how the experience of purpose may be impacted by disruptions in three key person-environment interactions: how we engage with work, how we engage in education, and how we manage physical proximity. We hope to motivate critical thinking about how this pandemic, and our collective responses to it, influence the experience of purpose and delineate a research agenda that may inform how individuals' can preserve a sense of engagement and contribution.

© 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en