Assistant Professor of Sociology Jaime Kucinskas is lead author on a new publication, "The Interplay Between Meaning and Sacred Awareness in Everyday Life: Evidence From a Daily Smartphone Study," published in The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion.
With co-authors Bradley R.E. Wright and Stuart Riepl of the University of Connecticut, Kucinskas found that sacred experiences tend to prolong feelings of meaningfulness in life, rather than vice versa. Using data collected through participants’ smartphones, they found meaning was highest during religious and spiritual practices, as well as during traditional work hours.
They were also higher with some activities, such as talking to other people, than other activities, such as playing video games. From these analyses, meaning emerged as richly patterned in everyday life and closely associated with— and often a consequence of—sacred awareness.
