An underexplored pathway to life satisfaction: The development and validation of the synchronicity awareness and meaning-detecting scale

Pninit Russo-Netzer, Tamar Icekson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Introduction: Synchronicity refers to the psychological process of meaningful coincidences. The present study aimed to build and expand upon a model of synchronicity awareness and meaning-detecting (REM)—receptiveness (R) as a precondition for an exceptional encounter (E) triggering emotions and meaning-detecting (M)—by assessing the prevalence of the phenomenon and its associations with well-being. Methods and Results: Results from two studies reported here employing adult community samples (N = 198 and N = 440) demonstrate coherent, replicable structure and good internal reliability for a 35-item, two-factor Synchronicity Awareness and Meaning-Detecting (SAMD) Scale. Synchronicity awareness (SA) and meaning-detecting (MD) scores were significantly associated with some of the Big-5 personality dimensions and tolerance for ambiguity, as well as with search for and presence of meaning. Furthermore, process mediation models showed: (a) synchronicity awareness mediated the relationship between search for meaning and meaning-detecting, and (b) optimism and presence of meaning in life partly mediated the relationship between meaning-detecting and life satisfaction. Discussion: The findings suggest the importance of synchronicity experiences and hold important conceptual and practical implications for understanding processes of meaning making from unexpected events and their potential contribution to individuals’ well-being.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1053296
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Volume13
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 Russo-Netzer and Icekson.

Keywords

  • individual differences
  • life satisfaction
  • presence of meaning
  • search for meaning
  • synchronicity awareness and meaning-detecting scale
  • synchronicity experiences
  • well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Psychology

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