Moved by the Lightest Touch of Meaning: Even Minimal Significance Matters for Motivation From Childhood
Published online on July 16, 2026
Abstract
Psychological Science, Volume 37, Issue 8, Page 572-585, August 2026.
How essential is a sense of significance for motivation—the feeling that our efforts matter beyond the trivial or momentary? Four studies (N= 604, children aged 4–9 years of age and 582 adults) show that no amount of significance is too small to matter, ...
How essential is a sense of significance for motivation—the feeling that our efforts matter beyond the trivial or momentary? Four studies (N= 604, children aged 4–9 years of age and 582 adults) show that no amount of significance is too small to matter, ...