The Mediating Effect of Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction between Future Socio-Economic Status and Undergraduates’ Sense of Meaning in Life

Feng Zhang, Li Su and Xiaowei Geng ()
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Feng Zhang: Jing Hengyi School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Li Su: Jing Hengyi School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
Xiaowei Geng: Jing Hengyi School of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China

Social Sciences, 2023, vol. 12, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Finding meaning in life helps improve undergraduates’ well-being, hope, and adaptation to life. To investigate the relationship between future socioeconomic status (future SES) and undergraduates’ sense of meaning in life, 333 undergraduates were surveyed using the Meaning in Life Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scales, and Social Ladder Scale. Results showed that (1) undergraduates’ sense of meaning in life was at the middle level, their current SES was low, but their future SES was high. (2) The sense of meaning in life was significantly predicted by future SES, with sex, age, objective SES, and current SES controlled. (3) Basic psychological needs satisfaction mediated the influence of future SES on sense of meaning in life. Thus, undergraduates expected future SES influenced their sense of meaning in life through satisfying their basic psychological needs, i.e., relatedness need, autonomy need, and competence need.

Keywords: future socioeconomic status; sense of meaning in life; basic psychological needs satisfaction; undergraduates (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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