Motivations for Relationships as Sources of Meaning: Ghanaian and South African Experiences

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dc.contributor.authorWissing, M.P.
dc.contributor.authorFadiji, A.W.
dc.contributor.authorSchutte, L.
dc.contributor.authorChigeza, S.
dc.contributor.authorSchutte, W.D.
dc.contributor.authorTemane, Q.M.
dc.date.accessioned2023-12-11T11:49:25Z
dc.date.available2023-12-11T11:49:25Z
dc.date.epub2020-07-21
dc.date.issued2020-08-21
dc.description.abstractAfrocentric paradigms reflect assumptions of the overarching importance of interconnectedness and social bonds in meaningful experiences. It is, however, not known if types of relatedness vary in importance as meaning sources in the subjective experiences of laypeople, or what the reasons are that they ascribe to the importance of relationships. The empirical and theoretical substantiation of philosophical assumptions is needed to provide a scientific basis for appropriate well-being interventions in African contexts. Therefore, this study aimed to empirically explore the relative importance of various types of relationships as sources of meaning and in particular why relationships are important to laypeople in relatively collectivist African contexts. Using a bottom-up qualitative approach with quantification of responses, this study explored how prominently relationships featured as meaning sources compared to other domains of life and then, in particular, the motivations for the importance of various types of relationships as found in four African samples: a Ghanaian urban group (n = 389), a South African multicultural, English-speaking urban group (n = 585), and two South African Setswana-speaking groups (n = 512 rural, n = 380 urban). Findings showed that the relational domains of life, namely, family, interpersonal relations, spirituality/religion, and community/society, made up a large proportion of responses on what provides meaning in life-in particular family and spirituality/religion with community/society occurring the least. The reasons for meaning experienced in various relationship types included domain-typical relational descriptors, such as contributions made or rewards received. However, many intrapersonal motives also emerged: inner well-being, happiness, joy, a sense of competence, and own growth. Material needs and harmony also surfaced as motivations for relational importance. Findings are aligned with African philosophical perspectives as far as the importance of relationships and the value attached to spirituality/religion are concerned, but contributed additionally by showing that different types of relationships vary in importance: close relationships are more important than community/societal relationships. Unearthing the reasons for the importance of relationships points toward a dialectic pattern of African individualism-collectivism in which independent and interdependent orientations flow together. Such knowledge is vital for the promotion of mental health and well-being in these contexts.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThis work from the FORT 3 and PURE-SA projects are based on the research supported in part by the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (Grant Numbers: 91557, 106050, 2069139, FA2006040700010, FA2007042600011, and 121948). Funding for PURE-SA were also obtained from the SANPAD (South Africa ô€€€ Netherlands Research Programme on Alternatives in Development 08/15), the South African Medical Research Council, the North-West University, South Africa, and the Population Health Research Institute, ON, Canada. The funding covered the running costs of data gathering, data capturing, and coding of the data. We acknowledge that opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and that the NRF and other funders accept no liability whatsoever in this regard.en_US
dc.identifier.citationWissing MP, Wilson Fadiji A, Schutte L, Chigeza S, Schutte WD, Temane QM. Motivations for Relationships as Sources of Meaning: Ghanaian and South African Experiences. Front Psychol.en_US
dc.identifier.journalFrontiers in Psychologyen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://infospace.mrc.ac.za/handle/11288/595313
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherFrontiersen_US
dc.relation.url10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02019en_US
dc.relation.urlhttps://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02019en_US
dc.research.unitGrant Fundeden_US
dc.rightsAttribution 3.0 United States*
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/*
dc.subjectAfrican perspectivesen_US
dc.subjectinterconnectednessen_US
dc.subjectmeaningen_US
dc.subjectmotivationsen_US
dc.subjectrelationshipsen_US
dc.titleMotivations for Relationships as Sources of Meaning: Ghanaian and South African Experiencesen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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