生きがいを決めるのは過去の体験か未来の予期か？

抄録

This study clarifies how past life events and expected future events relate to ikigai, the Japanese word for one's sense of purpose in life. University students (n=450) responded to a questionnaire on purpose in life (PIL) and important life events. Participants were asked whether they had experienced any important life events in the previous three months, and whether they expected to experience any in the coming three months. The following was found: (1) The expectation that a negative life event would occur relates more closely to ikigai than does past negative life events. (2) When given expectations of positive future events, subjects who felt low ikigai as a result of many negative life events tended to have a greater increase in ikigai than subjects who already felt high ikigai as a result of many positive life events.