Meaning in life research: the importance of considering auxiliary assumptions

Abstract

There have been significant advances in the science of meaning in life (MIL). Researchers have made empirical predictions about the antecedents and consequences of meaning and the best ways it can be enhanced. Yet, it is important that researchers in this area consider the auxiliary assumptions associated with their predictions. Auxiliary assumptions, which traverse the distance from nonobservational theoretical terms to observational terms at the level of the empirical hypotheses, have important implications for the appraisal of empirical victories and defeats. In this paper, we outline the importance of auxiliary assumptions in MIL research. To ensure the validity of findings associated with MIL, we hope this paper encourages researchers to pay close attention to the auxiliary assumptions associated with their predictions.