AUTHOR=Cantarero Katarzyna , van Tilburg Wijnand A. P. , Gasiorowska Agata , Igou Eric R. 

TITLE=The efficient measurement of individual differences in meaning motivation: The need for sense-making short form

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.945692

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.945692

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<p>People differ in the extent to which they express a need for sense-making (NSM), and these individual differences are important to understand in light of meaning-making processes. To quantify this important variable, we originally proposed a need for sense-making scale. We now propose a refined, similarly reliable short version of the scale (NSM-SF). The 7-item NSM-SF was validated across a series of four studies (combined <italic>N</italic> = 1,243). NSM-SF showed psychometric properties and correlations consistent with its longer forerunner. Additionally, results indicated that the need for sense-making was moderately positively related to the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness and competence), and it related negatively to the frustration of these needs. The research offers a useful, brief tool for assessing the NSM construct and broadens our understanding of basic psychological motivations.</p>