Gender Role Difference Of Meaning In Life: Construction Mechanism And Intervention Study

Meaning in life is people’s comprehension and understanding of life.It’s also a life project that requires lifelong exploration for each individual.Individual comprehends the meaning in life in the search,establishment and achievement of goals.There are various factors influencing the meaning in life,among which gender is the basic physiological and social attribute of human beings.During the socialization process,each individual develops gendered behavior patterns that are related to biological sex and conform to socio-cultural norms in the process of socialization,shaping their self-awareness,career choices,life issues and other aspects.Meaning in life is constructed in the social culture to which(s)he belongs,and the social culture also constructs the gender,so it may be gender rather than sex that plays a stable predictor of meaning in life.This inference will be verified by questionnaires in this study.And interview method will be used to explore the construction theme of meaning in life with high level meaning in life individuals.Meaning-enhancement intervention is designed to help low level meaning in life participants to improve their meaning level.This paper consists of three studies,and the results of each study are as follows:Study 1 aims to analyze the demographic variable differences in meaning in life and gender roles of adults,and explore the impact of sex and gender on meaning in life.This study used questionnaire measurement method,distributed the 50-Item Sex Role Inventory for Chinese Students and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire Chinese Version to adult individuals,and analyzed 853 valid data.The results show:(1)There were significant meaning in life differences in gender,age,marital status,occupation,whether they have children,and whether they have beliefs;(2)There were significant gender role types difference in gender,age,marital status.There were no significant differences in occupations,whether they have children,or whether they have beliefs;(3)The difference in meaning in life between gender role types was very significant,androgynous individuals had significantly higher meaning in life scores than other types,and other types’ meaning in life scores were significantly higher than undifferentiated individuals;(4)Demographic variables and gender role types had a very significant predictive effect on the meaning in life.The gender role type contributes a greater predictive effect,and androgynous individuals had a better predictive effect on meaning in life than masculinity,femininity and undifferentiated individuals.Study 2 aims to explore the meaning in life construction mechanism of high-level meaning in life individuals,and compare the similarities and differences in meaning in life construction between androgynous and undifferentiated individuals.A semi-structured interview was conducted between 17 androgynous and 17 undifferentiated high-level meaning in life individuals,and the thematic analysis of the interview data showed that:(1)The meaning in life construction of high-level meaning in life individuals can be divided into six general themes:"life cognition","experience","self-growth","interpersonal relationship","exploration",and "prosociality";(2)Androgynous individuals uphold reverence and indomitability for life to experience the vividness of life,help and support each other while focusing on self-improvement,actively and openly explore to move forward,serve and dedicate themselves to the society;(3)Undifferentiated individuals pursue their own unique meaning in life in the achievement of goals,feel the joy and beauty in life,prove themselves in achievements,master themselves in material accumulation.Family members are the driving force for their progress,the help and support of others bring growth boost,actively or passively explore in the expectations of themselves and others,further deepen the meaning in life construction in taking responsibility and social contribution.Study 3 aims to assist individuals with low level meaning in life participants to enhance their meaning in life.Study 3 designs individual meaning-enhancement intervention based on the themes of Study 2,and verifies the impact of interventions on the meaning in life,well-being,self-acceptance and prosocial tendency of low-level meaning in life individuals,and analyzes whether there are differences in sex and gender roles in promotion.The meaning-enhancement intervention using 2(pre-and post-test:Pre/Post)× 2(sex:Male/Female)× 4(gender role:Masculinity/Femininity/Androgyny/Undifferentiated)designs to activate awe,accomplishment,self-control,multiple roles and responsibilities,future exploration,and dedication of 96 low level meaning in life participants(24 participants with masculinity/femininity/androgyny/undifferentiated low-level meaning in life,half male and female).The results show:(1)Meaning-enhancement intervention can significantly improve participants’ meaning in life,well-being,self-acceptance and prosocial tendency;(2)There were significant differences in sex and gender roles in the improvement of meaning in life.There were significant gender role type differences in the improvement of well-being,self-acceptance and prosocial tendency.Above all,this study verified the significant gender role type difference in meaning in life,and the significant prediction of meaning in life by gender role type through the questionnaire method.Through the interview method,six meaning in life construction themes of "life cognition","experience","self-growth","interpersonal relationship","exploration",and "prosociality" were obtained.Meaning-enhancing intervention significantly improved meaning in life,well-being,self-acceptance and prosocial tendency of low-level meaning in life individuals.