Existential Psychology 2026 virtual conference on Feb 24. Register: Early-bird rate by Jan 22; Regular rate by Feb 13! Theme: Meaning & Purpose. Keynotes by Mike Steger, Tim Golden; 12 Invited Talks, 10 Data Blitzes, 72 posters, awards! Visit issep.org/conference to register.

Remember growing into, or out of, your religious beliefs? Shoko Watanabe studies longitudinal patterns of religious doubt & belief from adolescence to young adulthood. She talked about that, St. Paul's road to Damascus, South Park, advice, and Lauryn Hill. www.issep.org/spotlights/w...

Last call for Research Grant proposals! Due Nov 15. Multiple funded in 5 tracks: General; Cross-Cultural; International; Interdisciplinary; Ernest Becker. Funds research on the dynamics of being and becoming in social and mental life. More info: www.issep.org/research-gra...

Call for Research Grant proposals! Due Nov 15. Multiple funded in 5 tracks: General; Cross-Cultural; International; Interdisciplinary; Ernest Becker. Funds research on the dynamics of being and becoming in social and mental life. More info: www.issep.org/research-gra...

Call for Annual Award Nominations! Due Nov 15. • Distinguished Career ($1,000) • Early Career ($1,000) • Outstanding Student ($500) • Best Paper ($500) in 5 tracks: General; Cross-cultural; International; Interdisciplinary; Ernest Becker. More info: www.issep.org/annual-awards

Dan McAdams considers how identity involves conscious experience of choice, impacting the way we craft and re-craft our selves. Identity is a story (the "true novel") written with fear and trembling and sometimes with generativity and redemption. www.issep.org/features/nar...

4 days left for submissions! Existential Psychology 2026 SPSP Preconference: Submit by Oct 23, Register by Feb 13! Theme: Meaning & Purpose. Keynote by Mike Steger, Special by Tim Golden; 12 Invited Talks, Data Blitz & Posters, awards, funding! www.issep.org/conference

The 4th World Congress of Existential Therapy will be in Denver/Aurora, Colorado, June 3-6, 2026. Call for Papers, open to December 1, 2025. Largest gathering of existential therapists in the world, every 3-4 years; this is the 1st in the USA. Visit wcet4.com

Tessa van der Willigen was the Chief of Staff to 2 of IMF’s Managing Directors. Now, she works on existential psychology, and spoke with us about the difference between ontological and phenomenological autonomy. Also, advice, Shakespeare, & Kae Tempest. www.issep.org/spotlights/w...

Due Nov 15: Nominate yourself/others for our... • Distinguished Career Award ($1000). • Early Career Award ($1000). • Outstanding Student Award ($500). • Best Paper Award ($500), one each in five categories. www.issep.org/annual-awards

Due Nov 15: Apply for a research grant (up to $3,000 per project). Multiple funded in each of 4 tracks: General; Cross-Cultural; International; Interdisciplinary. www.issep.org/research-gra...

Due Nov 15: Applications for the Ernest Becker Honors. Up to $3,500 per research grant, $500 for best paper award, addressing ideas of Ernest Becker via the science of existential psychology. See site for details. www.issep.org/ernest-becke...

Existential Psychology 2026 SPSP Preconference: Submit by Oct 23, Register by Feb 13! Speaker theme: Meaning & Purpose. Keynote by Mike Steger, Special by Tim Golden; 12 Invited Talks, 2 Data Blitz sessions, Poster session, award ceremony, award funding! www.issep.org/conference

Meaning/purpose can be tough to find amid a world with indifference, pain, and suffering. Daryl Van Tongeren discusses how existential psych research studies motivated meaning; the "existential trade-offs" of religious faith; and the path to growth from suffering. www.issep.org/features/flo...

Legacy... How do you want to leave your mark? Do you want to positively impact people, in some way? Or become famous so they remember you and your name? Stylianos Syropoulos studies legacy motivations & shared about the data, popular culture, and gave advice. www.issep.org/spotlights/s...

Eranda Jayawickreme argues posttraumatic growth is often reported, but might not be genuine. Alternative explanations include self-enhancement, active coping, expectancy violations, cultural scripts. What do we know for sure? Here are three data-based patterns... www.issep.org/features/doe...

Sheila Umemoto studies how civilian and active-duty military handle existential insecurity and its effect on substance use vs. abuse, belonging, and suicide risk. She shared about the research, her life experience, art/culture, music, and offered advice. www.issep.org/spotlights/u...

Ross Rogers noticed we sometimes feel "bored to death" and busyness seems to cure the existential dread. His experiments suggest managing our existential concerns requires living up to our cultural values, which often means taking action. Get busy living! www.issep.org/features/shu...

Kasia Cantarero shared about data finding that, vs. neutral and self-oriented, other-oriented mindsets boost meaning and engagement at work. Illustrations from Friends, Simpsons, and The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit. Plus work-life balance, running, kids, music. www.issep.org/spotlights/c...

Can the concept of death be good for your health? Jamie Goldenberg studies the impact of conscious and non-conscious death salience on physical health behaviors, from sunscreen use, to smoking, to cancer screening. Important work! www.issep.org/features/dea...

$10 Amazon voucher to participate in Univ Birmingham study on academics perception of research and scholars of other disciplines. Must be 18+, English fluent, have PhD, research or teach at uni, have uni email (e.g., .edu). Contact: [email protected] tinyurl.com/5dmk4nm7

Lisa Blatz studied freedom experiences, ID'd a two-factor solution, tracked it longitudinally: ppl enjoyed "freedom from" restraints but anxious about "freedom to" find their way in life. Nods to Erich Fromm, Isaiah Berlin, Nina Simone, Animal Farm, modern dance, etc. www.issep.org/spotlights/b...

Graduation coming up? Moving soon? Just 1 weekend together with your long-distance partner? Jaime Kurtz explains research showing how an awareness of time's scarcity promotes emotional savoring. www.issep.org/features/tim...

Abdo Elnakouri's research focuses on the existential function of secret truths and privileged knowledge. We chatted about his work, and how it shows up in Nietzsche, Paul Erdos, House, The Alchemist, The Secret, HHGTTG, and Tom Day. Check it out! www.issep.org/spotlights/e...

Sheldon Solomon builds on Martin Heidegger's "Being and time" and Ann Dillard's "For the time being" to contemplate thrown-ness, death and authentic living, and the angst and responsibility that comes with being a Being in time. Super stimulating read! www.issep.org/features/bei...

Check out the Shared Reality Virtual Conference happening Wednesday March 12 & Thursday March 13, 2025, between 9:50 AM - 1:10 PM ET! Registration is FREE! northwestern.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Alexis Goad studies how cultural (mis)representations of Native American identities impact whether people internalize those identities as part of their "authentic self." Huge implications! plus... Rez Dogs, drumline, & Green Day! www.issep.org/spotlights/g...

Liz Pinel studies existential isolation, the unbridgeable gap b/w our subjective experience and everyone else's. Her research measures & manipulates it to better understand how it works. Nice nods to yanny/laurel, Bob Dylan, Michelle Obama, Maya Angelou. www.issep.org/features/alo...

After a near-death experience, Ron Chau made some major changes. He now studies the longitudinal impact of death exposure on goal orientations. He shared about the crash, the research, the topic in pop culture, and his a capella group's new album! www.issep.org/spotlights/c...

Lucas Keefer studies how seemingly chaotic suffering can fuel moral outrage and the blame-game, with implications for scapegoating in political and social attitudes. Seems relevant... www.issep.org/features/con...

1 DAY LEFT! Register now! Existential Psychology SPSP preconference, Feb 20, 2025, Denver, CO. Arie Kruglanski, Sandra Murray, Daryl Van Tongeren, Kate Sweeny, Peter Helm, Catalina Enestrom, Data Blitz, & Posters. Register here: my.spsp.org/Events/Annua...

Madhwa Galgali studies the role of existential concern in religious faith among religious and atheists. Chatted w/ him abt research, literature, and philosophy, his work to grow cross-cultural collaborations, as well as beignets, soccer, and rock albums. www.issep.org/spotlights/g...

Increased capacity: Register now! Existential Psychology SPSP preconference, Feb 20, 2025, Denver, CO. Arie Kruglanski, Sandra Murray, Daryl Van Tongeren, Kate Sweeny, Peter Helm, Catalina Enestrom, Data Blitz, & Posters. Register here: my.spsp.org/Events/Annua...

Religious/spiritual struggles address important existential issues, but almost everyone struggles with them to some extent. Julie Exline developed a quantitative measure to study struggles w/ the divine, demonic, interpersonal, moral, doubt, and meaning... www.issep.org/article/reli...

Almost SOLD OUT! We're working on adding capacity, but if it's sold out when you try to register, add your name/email to the wait list, at the link below, and we’ll contact you to get you registered as spots open up. spsp.wufoo.com/forms/precon...

Frank Martela uses a variety of methods to study the role of benevolence in the experience of meaning in life. We talked about that and self-determination, religious/secular values, Pixar's movie Soul, advice, and Finnish skiing and music. www.issep.org/interview/ma...

What happens when ppl experience death anxiety? Rachel Menzies' research finds it's a "transdiagnostic factor" behind a variety of anxiety-related disorders. Fortunately, she's developed therapeutic interventions so ppl can live healthy & meaningful lives. www.issep.org/article/ment...

Register! Existential Psychology SPSP preconference, Feb 20, 2025, Denver, CO. Theme: Isolation, Uncertainty, & Shared Reality. Sessions: Arie Kruglanski, Sandra Murray, Daryl Van Tongeren, Kate Sweeny, Peter Helm, Catalina Enestrom, Data Blitz, & Posters. www.issep.org/conference

Dylan Horner studies how autonomy/self-determination and death awareness interact to impact existential motivations. He shared about related experiments, poetry/music, and dished up advice. Also, the art featured in the article is his own! www.issep.org/interview/ho...

Just be yourself - but what does that mean and how does being your "true self" impact your life? This week we're thinking about research by Grace Rivera and Becca Schlegel on the role of the "true self" in the search for meaning. www.issep.org/article/true...

Peter Helm studies existential isolation—unbridgeable gap between oneself and the world—and dev'd a state/trait model, helped dev a measure, and found it's affected by race, gender, occupation, etc. He chatted with us about research, professional advice, and disc golf. www.issep.org/interview/helm

Tom Pyszczynski highlights three uniquely human adaptations and explains how the way we manage existential concerns has shifted from simple biological needs to more complex cultural abstractions. www.issep.org/article/biol...

Due Nov 15: Calling for... • Distinguished Career Award ($1000). • Early Career Award ($1000). • Outstanding Student Award ($500). • Best Paper Award ($500) tracks: General; Cross-Cultural; International; Interdisciplinary; Ernest Becker related. www.issep.org/annual-awards

Due Nov 15: Apply for a research grant (up to $3,000 per project). Multiple funded in each of 4 tracks: General; Cross-Cultural; International; Interdisciplinary. www.issep.org/research-gra...

Due Nov 15: Applications for the Ernest Becker Honors. Up to $15,000 per research grant, $500 for best paper award, addressing ideas of Ernest Becker via the science of existential psychology. See site for details. www.issep.org/ernest-becke...

Existential Psych SPSP Preconference Awards, due Oct 17! • Innovation in XP Award. • Cross-Cultural XP Award. • International XP Award. • Interdisciplinary XP Award. • Grad & Undergrad Student Awards. • Grad & Undergrad Diversity Awards. www.issep.org/conference-a...

Take ISSEPs "Future Directions" Survey to help identify priorities and shape future efforts in some of its various activities—including grants and awards, science communication, conference events, membership, and more! It’s anonymous, takes ~5 minutes: psyhscsu.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Existential Psychology Conference on Feb 20, 2025! Keynotes by Arie Kruglanski & Sandra Murray; Research Talks by Peter Helm, Kate Sweeny, Daryl Van Tongeren, & Catalina Enestrom. Funded awards! Submit an abstract by Oct 17 to present posters or data blitz! www.issep.org/conference

Mira Gruber studied whether parasocial relationships w/ humanoid vs. non-humanoid caregiving robots could soothe existential concerns (isolation, death) among the elderly. The (uncanny) humanoid amplified existential concerns. Also Blade Runner and Bowie. www.issep.org/interview/gr...

Research on freedom and reactance can help us better understand why, during the pandemic, some officials were actively banning public health orders and some citizens were resisting public health recommendations, and what to do about it going forward. www.issep.org/article/free...