Applied Aspects of the Meanings of Life Study (about contradictory assessments of Respondents)

Abstract

The paper is devoted to presentation of the results of a pilot study on contradictions between declarative and factual reflection of respondents' sense of life. In particular, it is noted that on the one hand, statements regarding the presence of individual sense of life do prevail; but on the other hand, survey participants have significant difficulties while trying independently to articulate their own life-sense guides. In addition, the following paradoxicalness of respondents’ opinion is noted: despite the fact that many of them could not name exactly what is their life sense, they kept claiming that their attempts to implement it had been successful. The role of social attitudes in value judgments regarding the significance of presence of life sense is justified. The need to take into account declarative, strong-willed and practical components while studying life senses is stressed.