New research suggests that having a positive impact on other people is a crucial element in feeling that life has meaning. Psychologists Joffrey Fuhrer and Florian Cova analyzed surveys to identify four dimensions of meaning, including this new factor beyond traditional ones like coherence and purpose. Their findings highlight how helping others, even in small ways, can enhance personal fulfillment.
Philosophers have long debated the meaning of life, but recent scientific studies offer a practical insight: assisting others may hold the key. Joffrey Fuhrer at the University of Eastern Finland and Florian Cova at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, conducted online surveys with hundreds of US residents to explore this question.
Participants evaluated fictional lives, such as that of Amelia, a lottery winner who donates to charities fighting poverty and hunger, and travels abroad to support these efforts. They also rated definitions of meaningfulness and assessed their own lives across various measures. The researchers identified four dimensions: coherence, or understanding one's life across time; purpose, or direction; significance, or lasting value; and a fourth—positive impact on others.
"We find that there are four different dimensions," says Fuhrer. This last aspect, they argue, goes beyond prior models that emphasized comprehension, purpose, and mattering. Tatjana Schnell at the MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society in Oslo agrees that positive impact is core but notes little distinction from significance. Her framework includes existential belonging alongside the other facets, while a recent paper links social support to meaning.
Schnell emphasizes that meaning arises not from maximizing all areas but from avoiding voids, such as lacking coherence or significance. Frank Martela at Aalto University in Finland points to workplace dissatisfaction, where routine tasks yield no positive outcomes, leading to hopelessness or depression.
To foster impact, experts recommend shifting from self-focus to activities benefiting others. "Find out who you think you are, who you want to be and what you can bring to this world, and then see how you can apply that to something that sustainably benefits others," advises Schnell. Martela adds that everyday gestures, like bringing coffee to a colleague, can contribute meaningfully.
The study appears in the Journal of Happiness Studies (DOI: 10.1007/s10902-025-00996-z).
