TY - JOUR
T1 - Engaging with life
T2 - Synchronicity experiences as a pathway to meaning and personal growth
AU - Russo-Netzer, Pninit
AU - Icekson, Tamar
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2022/2/1
Y1 - 2022/2/1
N2 - Synchronicity refers to the psychological process of meaningful coincidences. Despite its deep roots in early psychological theory, little systematic scientific research has been conducted on synchronicity experiences as an everyday phenomenon. This study is an exploratory qualitative attempt to characterize experiences of meaningful coincidences through a bottom-up approach. Based on a phenomenological analysis of indepth interviews of 45 adults, the findings suggest a dynamic model of three major building blocks (REM): receptiveness (R) or increased attention and openness to feelings and cognitions and to the external environment; viewed as a precondition for an exceptional encounter (E), a sudden unexpected event that echoes an inner feeling or thought, commonly evoking memorable and distinctive emotions; and meaning detecting (M), a conscious process of connecting the event to oneself while revalidating a sense of coherence, purpose and control in life. Findings also point to the multidimensional and complex nature of synchronicity experiences and reveal some positive outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and study limitations and directions for future research are suggested.
AB - Synchronicity refers to the psychological process of meaningful coincidences. Despite its deep roots in early psychological theory, little systematic scientific research has been conducted on synchronicity experiences as an everyday phenomenon. This study is an exploratory qualitative attempt to characterize experiences of meaningful coincidences through a bottom-up approach. Based on a phenomenological analysis of indepth interviews of 45 adults, the findings suggest a dynamic model of three major building blocks (REM): receptiveness (R) or increased attention and openness to feelings and cognitions and to the external environment; viewed as a precondition for an exceptional encounter (E), a sudden unexpected event that echoes an inner feeling or thought, commonly evoking memorable and distinctive emotions; and meaning detecting (M), a conscious process of connecting the event to oneself while revalidating a sense of coherence, purpose and control in life. Findings also point to the multidimensional and complex nature of synchronicity experiences and reveal some positive outcomes. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and study limitations and directions for future research are suggested.
KW - Coherence
KW - Meaning
KW - Qualitative
KW - Synchronicity experiences
KW - Wellbeing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85077580943&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12144-019-00595-1
DO - 10.1007/s12144-019-00595-1
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85077580943
SN - 1046-1310
VL - 41
SP - 597
EP - 610
JO - Current Psychology
JF - Current Psychology
IS - 2
ER -