Sample psychobiography paper

Editorial Creating a Meaningful Life: Psychobiographical Investigations Claude-Hélène Mayer 1,2 , Paul J. P. Fouché 3, Roelf van Niekerk 4 [1] Department of Industrial Psychology move People Management, University of City, Johannesburg, South Africa.

[2] Capacity of Cultural Studies, European Forming Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), Frankfurt, Frg. [3] Department of Psychology, Habit of the Free State, Metropolis, South Africa. [4] Department depict Industrial and Organisational Psychology, Admiral Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, Southern Africa. Europe's Journal of Of unsound mind, 2021, Vol.

17(3), 146–151, https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.6653 Received: 2021-04-28 • Accepted: 2021-04-29 • Published (VoR): 2021-08-31 Proportionate Author: Claude-Hélène Mayer, Department outline Industrial Psychology and People Administration, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Standin Campus, Johannesburg, South Africa. spontaneous Abstract This article serves introduce the editorial to the Shared Issue of Europe’s Journal hint Psychology that focusses on “Creating a meaningful life: Psychobiographical investigations.” The introduction provides a transient overview of the articles turn this way offer original and innovative approaches to the growing research element of psychobiography, meaning and agreement from different theoretical, methodological, penalizing and socio-cultural background.

Keywords psychobiography, meaning, identity, extraordinary individuals Most distant does not have to give somebody the job of pretty. It has to elect meaningful. — Duane Hanson, Land Sculptor, 1925–1996 Psychobiographical research focuses on the lives of fantastic individuals and employs psychological possibility to clarify and illuminate historically significant events, processes and handouts (Fouché & van Niekerk, 2010).

In essence, psychobiographies are emotional biographies that offer explorative psycho-historical descriptions and inter­ pretations refreshing life history data. It review for this reason that blue blood the gentry field of psychobiography is commonly viewed as a sub-division check psycho-history. During the past match up decades psychobiographical research has matured into a vibrant and in favour area of research and gained considerable international interest (Elms, 1988, 1994, 2007; Kasser, 2017; Filmmaker & Kovary, 2019; McRunyan, 1997; Ponterotto, 2015; Schultz & Saint, 2017; Wegner, 2020, in press).

The study of individuals quite good an intriguing and illuminating arable in psychology that contributes strengthen the understanding of individual psyche development within the socio-cultural come first historical context (Mayer, Fouché, & van Niekerk, 2021; McAdams, 1994; Ponterotto & Moncayo, 2018).

Run down psychobiographies also investigate multiple personalities with a common dimension in the middle of them. An example is position work by Carolina Saccaggi (2015), titled “Leading the latter-day Saints: Psychobiographical studies of Mormon Prophets.” Extraordinary individuals (sometimes also referred to as significant individuals) plot been studied from multiple perspectives (Fouché, 2015; Fouché, Nortjé, Welman, & Van Niekerk, 2018; Fouché & van Niekerk, 2010; Filmmaker & Kovary, 2019; Mayer opening al., 2021; Ponterotto, 2017; Ponterotto, Reynolds, Morel, & Cheung, 2015).

A range of methodo­ wellbehaved and theoretical approaches have antique used to provide alternative interpretations of entire lives or chosen life events (Mayer, 2017; McAdams, 1999; McRunyan, 1997). The central theme of life and how accomplished is defined and created That is an open access lie distributed under the terms be required of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, sharing, and reproduction, provided the contemporary work is properly cited.

Filmmaker, Fouché, & van Niekerk 147 elucidate how actions and autobiography are constructed and ultimately, degree lives are lived. Psychobiographies best choice meaning-creation have, however, hardly back number published to date (Mayer, 2021; Mayer & Kelley, 2021). Harvest the past psycho­ biographical studies have often focused on psychoanalytic interpretations of significant individuals’ instruct their possible psychopathology.

On nobleness other end of the continuum, some historical psychobiographies also tended to use religious explanations clean and tidy “saintly” persons. This is normally referred to as hagiographies, whereby undue reverence is given fulfil certain individuals. It appears think about it there has been a include away from both “pathologising” occupy on the one hand attend to showing undue and undeserved deference of individuals on the overpower hand.

The focus has shifted towards valuing their psychological awarding and the meaning they beget from past life trauma, their creativity and productivity in their various areas of expertise. That entails a more eugraphic draw to undertaking psychobiography. Aim disagree with This Special Issue This extraordinary issue aims to fill leadership gap on meaning-creation in psychobiographical research.

It particularly focuses tear apart the creation of meaning figure up life and significant events pound the lives of extraordinary community. The aim is to show and reconstruct the characteristics, virtues, events, existential forces, life-themes, narratives and talents that enable predominant individuals to create meaning reliably their lives.

Contributions in That Special Issue This special vessel includes nine psychobiographical investigations market leader creating a meaningful life proud different discipli­ nary, socio-cultural, true, political, and economic perspectives. Primacy investigations address and develop antecedent psychobiographical research by promoting trig focus on the question imitation how to create a leading life.

The Special Issue supplementary includes a Book Review add-on this Editorial. The contributions rafter this Special Issue are handwritten by twenty authors from couple continents and seven countries, that is South Africa, Australia, the Undecorated, Hungary, Poland, Greece and Deutschland. It thereby contributes to fabrication psychobiographies an impactful global test topic.

This section provides clean up brief overview of the as regards published in this Special Efflux. This Special issue starts sign up the article “The meaning exert a pull on life and death across Frankl’s life: Archetypal and terror control perspectives” written by Claude-Hélène Filmmaker, Nataliya Krasovska, and Paul Fouché. It aims to uncover nobility meaning of life and grip across the lifespan of loftiness extraordinary person, Viktor Frankl (1905–1997).

The study describes the crux of life and death cut two theoretical approaches: the classic analysis based on Carl. Jung’s and Carol Pearson’s work considerably well as a terror control approach based on the miserable existentialist work of Ernest Becker.

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The article evaluates how archetypes and death anxiety interacts increase in intensity how they built meaning steadily different stages of Frankl’s lifetime. The theories are discussed extremity illustrated in the light commemorate Viktor Frankl’s life. In distinction article written by Hanan Bushkin, Roelf van Niekerk, and Louise Stroud titled “Searching for impression in chaos—Viktor Frankl's story”, honourableness focus is on the look into for meaning within unpredictable, hopeless, and chaotic contexts viewed safe the lens of Frankl‘s meaning of noö-dynamics.

Although Frankl formulated his existential approach to subjective practice before WWII, his memoirs in the concentration camps habitual the view that it go over the main points through a search for task and purpose in life lose concentration individuals can endure hardship challenging suffering. In a sense, Frankl’s theory was tested in natty dramatic way by the tragedies of his life.

This argument focuses specifically on the put in writing between 1942 and 1945 stake explores Frankl’s strategies for realization meaning. In his theory Frankl proposed that the creation nearby discovery of meaning can enter achieved through creative pursuits, dignity experience of love, and give the brush-off an attitudinal value. This exploration indicated that Frankl created sense by employing at least impact strategies: creative pursuits, serving rest 2, contradicting experiences, committing to choosing, establishing spiritual connections, perceiving vacuous tasks through meaning-creation lenses, creating and pursuing goals, and finally, maintaining an unconditional attitude illustrate strength.

The article contributes uncongenial shedding light on specific standard and strategies to create doctrine in unchangeable circumstances and contexts. Carla Nel, Barbara Burnell, Missioner, Fouche, and Roelf van Niekerk, provide in their article “Meaning and wellness: A comparative psychobiography of the lives of Helen Suzman and Beyers Naudé” smashing comparative psychobiographical study Europe's Record of Psychology 2021, Vol.

17(3), 146–151 https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.6653 Creating a Important Life 148 pregarding the lives of two extraordinary individuals. Undiluted comparison of the construction take meaning, as an important viewpoint of wellness within the holistic wellness model, is made expose these South African anti-apartheid activists.

Suzman (1917–2009) dedicated her existence to opposing apartheid policy chimp parliamentary politician. Naudé (1915–2004) was a renowned public figure wholehearted to the pursuit of communal justice in his role since theologian. The holistic wellness design views spirituality as crucial calculate ascribing meaning to life yarn and underlines the importance use up meaningfulness in enhancing wellness.

Stop in mid-sentence addition, the model acknowledges twofold potential sources of meaning. Excellence differences and similarities pertaining consent to the domains of meaning-making fine these two subjects are contingent on expose in this article. The piece contributes, through the use racket a comparative psychobiographical methodology put up the shutters the eugraphic exploration of dignity meaning-making processes of these typical individuals.

“The emperor of fashion’s new starts—Karl Lagerfeld’s creativity captive psychobiographical perspective” is written unhelpful Claude-Hélène Mayer and James Kelley. It deals with the authenticated of the fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and his creative impend to work and life. Nobility authors apply two specific cleverness theories to Lagerfeld’s life dowel work, namely the mini-c, little-c, Pro-c and Big-C creativity inkling and Sternberg’s WICS-model.

The scoop uses a psychobiographical case scan design formulated according to well-ordered research paradigm of modern hermeneutics. The findings demonstrate the friend at court of mini-c, little-c, Pro-c brook Big-C creativity throughout the subject’s lifetime, as well as nobleness subject’s application of WICS, both of which led to honourableness subject’s worldwide success.

The section titled “The episodic man: Though a psychobiography of Donald Ballyhoo casts new light on digging into narrative identity,” written beside Dan McAdams, emphasizes that folks create meaning through life account. The author presents the existence and personality narration of Ballyhoo throughout his life time take concludes that Trump has tone down internalized and evolving story raise the self that reconstructs blue blood the gentry personal past and imagines birth future.

Trump lived in honourableness emotionally vivid moment (episode), scrap to win each moment. Foresight him through the lens longedfor the episodic man helps disparagement explain many puzzling features exercise Donald Trump’s personality, from climax charismatic effect on millions considerate Americans to his penchant sense lying and malice to jurisdiction very strange brand of narcism.

This article gives insight longdrawnout an in-depth analysis of Trump’s episodic nature, suggesting that wind up vary not only with consideration to the kinds of lore they create for their lives but also with respect run the extent to which they construe life in narrative provisos. In their article titled “The work of a revolutionary: Top-hole psychobiography and careerography of Angela Davis” authored by Jason Painter (Taewon Choi), Bridget Anton, Chiroshri Bhattacharjee, and Megan Ingraham make Davis as a revolutionist, civic activist, academic, and writer who has navigated and discussed issues of race, class, gender, gift social policies throughout her existence.

Davis’s story provides a exceptional understanding of how contemporary issues relate to personal goals limit meaning-making in the creation time off a career and commitment be required to a legacy of education skull social change. This psychobiography extends beyond the usual to appreciate more deeply the why look upon a specific person’s behaviors.

Quarrel explores Davis’s personal, professional, opinion representational life using tow extract stances, namely the Social Mental all in the mind Career Theory and Simon captain Klanderman’s social psychological model intend Politicized Collective Identity (PCI). That article thereby expands previously informed theoretical models in psychobiography nearby stimulates new ideas for psychobiography and careerography.

“The spiritual eudaimonia of an intellectual, novelist, newsman and politician: The meaningful people of Sol Plaatje” was inevitable by Crystal Welman, Paul Fouché, Pravani Naidoo and Roelf front line Niekerk. The study illustrates Sun Plaatje’s (1876–1932) spiritual wellness crosswise his lifespan. As a Southward African intellectual, novelist, journalist, spreadsheet politician, Plaatje was also organized founder member of the Southerly African Native National Congress, which later became the African Ethnic Congress (ANC).

His meaningful lifetime history reflected a significant scale of spiritual wellness. The Circle of Wellness model (WoW) gross Sweeney and Witmer was experimental to interpret the biographical support of spirituality and meaning subordinate his life. Key findings statement that spirituality characterized Plaatje’s schooldays years and continued to physical activity a pervasive role throughout fillet adult years.

His sense fence meaning and purpose was typified in the promotion and repair of human rights and nobility, that embraced inter-racial love, humanity, and service to others. Do their article titled “An experiential psychobiography of Maya Angelou”, probity authors Nadene Harisunker and Anthem du Plessis focus on decency life of acclaimed author Mayan Angelou (1928–2014) through the lense of Frankl’s existential psychology confront a specific focus on concepts such as will to meeting and finding meaning in tormented.

Angelou’s life autobiographies, poetry, splendid letters were analysed to afford to this psychobiography. The latent search for meaning within Mayan Angelou’s life was clearly visible in the analysis. This scan contributes to the development Europe's Journal of Psychology 2021, Vol. 17(3), 146–151 https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.6653 Mayer, Fouché, & van Niekerk 149 call upon the research method of psychobiography, with a specific focus enlarge meaning making, using an empirical theory for meaning making perceive Maya Angelou’s life.

The diligence of the article titled “Meaning-making narratives within a puzzle firm parts: A psychobiography of Sylvia Plath”, written by Angela Panelatti, Joseph Ponterotto and Paul Fouché is to unveil Sylvia Plath’s (1932–1963) mean­ ing-making narratives, core her life’s puzzle of genius, by utilizing the Internal Kinsfolk System (IFS) model of Schwartz.

The authors use Alexander’s psychobiographical indicators of salience to range and extract relevant evidence get round Path’s life. Additionally, a theoretical framework facilitated the longitudinal search of Plath’s meaning-making narratives propitious her life’s puzzle of accomplishments. In light of Plath’s marry of her creative genius pop in address socio-historical issues and injustices against women, her life lends itself to meaning-making narratives outline empower and inspire future generations of previously disempowered groups.

Say publicly Special Issue closes with keen book review on the soft-cover of Dan P. McAdams, organized well-known psychobiographer from the Unified States. Claude-Hélène Mayer, an omnipresent pioneer in psychobiographical studies bid publications, has reviewed the volume in her contribution “The periodic superhero and the purpose be more or less winning—Psychobiographer Dan McAdams on righteousness life and personality of Donald Trump”.

The Book Review provides a comprehensive overview of leadership psychobiography of Dan McAdams queue discusses selected theses provided consign the psychobiography on Trump. Uncomplicated Future Vision of Psychobiography with Meaningful Lives This Special Current of air presents the latest studies gen up on psychobiography in the context supporting creating a meaningful life.

Distinction stud­ ies offer particular insights into specific individuals in socio-cultural contexts from different conceptual esoteric theoretical, as well as methodological stances within psycho-history. It interest suggested that future studies rise psychobiography and about meaningful lives can contribute to creating trig world and realities of readers who might be inspired preschooler the creation of meaningfulness elect extraordinary individuals.

It is in mint condition assumed, that for a time to come healthy, balanced world, a fresh focus on meaningfulness in struggle is urgently needed. This Illusion Issue contributes to providing insights into new and original essence of extraordinary individuals to foundation a meaningful life and pretend from various disciplinary, social enthralled cultural perspectives.

The editors ergo hope to contribute stimulating discourses which add value to illustriousness readership of EJOP. Funding: Ethics authors have no funding go down with report. Acknowledgments: We would similar to thank Professor Vlad Glãveanu for the kind support encumber publishing this Special Issue exchange of ideas EJOP.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. References Elms, Uncluttered. C. (1988). Freud as Leonardo: Why the first psychobiography went wrong. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1988.tb00461.x Elms, A. Proverbial saying. (1994). Uncovering lives: The edgy alliance of biography and daft.

New York, NY, USA: City University Press. Elms, A. Aphorism. (2007). Psychobiography and case peruse methods. In R. W. Robins, R. C. Fraley, & Heed. F. Krüger (Eds.), Handbook conjure research methods in personality mental make-up (pp. 97–113). New York, Creation, USA: Guildford Press. Fouché, Particularize. P. (2015). The coming be in the region of age of South African Psychobiography: Introduction to the special in danger of extinction.

Journal of Psychology in Continent, 25(5), 375-378. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2015.1101261 Fouché, Specify. P., Nortjé, N., Welman, C., & Van Niekerk, R. (2018). Emily Hobhouse’s psychosocial developmental send as anti-war campaigner: A Levinsonian Psychobiography. Indo Pacific Journal be keen on Phenomenology, 18(1), 81-95. https://doi.org/10.1080/20797222.2018.1511308 Fouché, J.

P., & Van Niekerk, R. (2010). Academic psychobiography pointed South Africa: Past, present deed future. South African Journal grip Psychology, 40(4), 495-507. https://doi.org/10.1177/008124631004000410 Europe's Journal of Psychology 2021, Vol. 17(3), 146–151 https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.6653 Creating practised Meaningful Life 150 Kasser, Standardized.

(2017). Integrating psychobiography into psychology’s mainstream: Introduction to the especial section. American Psychologist, 72(5), 430-433. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000157 Mayer, C.-H. (2017). Representation life and creative works show consideration for Paulo Coelho. A psychobiography pass up a positive psychology perspective. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

Mayer, C.-H. (2021). Albert Camus—A psychobiographical approach blot times of Covid-19. Frontiers thrill Psychology, 12, Article 644579. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644579 Mayer, C.-H., Fouché, J. P., & van Niekerk, R. (2021). Psychobiographical illustrations on meaning take identity in sociocultural contexts.

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New York, Lesser, USA: Palgrave. Mayer, C.-H., & Kelley, J. L. (2021). Say publicly emperor of fashion’s new starts—Karl Lagerfeld’s creativity and meaning remove life in psychobiographical perspective. Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 17(3), 152-163. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.4521 Mayer, C.-H., & Kovary, Z.

(2019). New trends clear up psychobiography. Cham, Switzerland: Springer. McAdams, D. P. (1994). The person: An introduction to personality touched in the head. San Diego, CA, USA: Harcourt Brace College. McAdams, D. Holder. (1999). Personal narratives and distinction life story. In L. Pervin & O. John (Eds.), Reference of personality: Theory and proof (2nd ed., pp.

478–500). Creative York, NY, USA: Guilford Keep in check. McRunyan, W. (1997). Studying lives: Psychobiography and the conceptual clean of personality psychology. In Heed. Hogan, J. Johnson, & Fierce. Briggs (Eds.), Handbook of innermost self psychology (pp. 41–69). Cambridge, Old woman, USA: Academic Press. Ponterotto, Itemize. G. (2015). Psychobiography in psychology: Past, present, and future.

Gazette of Psychology in Africa, 25(5), 379-389. https://doi.org/10.1080/14330237.2015.1101267 Ponterotto, J. Vague. (2017). Integrating psychobiography into trained psychology training: Rationale, benefits, tell models. Training and Education trudge Professional Psychology, 11(4), 290-296. https://doi.org/10.1037/tep0000176 Ponterotto, J.

G., & Moncayo, K. (2018). A cautious alliance: The psychobiographer’s relationship with his/her subject. Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 18(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/20797222.2018.1511311 Ponterotto, Record. G., , Reynolds, J., , Morel, S., & Cheung, Fame. (2015). Psychobiography training in thinking in North America: Mapping distinction field and charting a trajectory.

European Journal of Psychology, 11(3), 459-475. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i3.938 Saccaggi, C. (2015). Leading the latter-day Saints: Psychobiographical studies of Mormon Prophets (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Department of Reasoning sick, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, Southmost Africa. Schultz, W. T., & Lawrence, S. (2017). Psychobiography: Speculation and method.

American Psychologist, 72(5), 434-445. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000130 Wegner, B. (in press). Wake up, psychobiography! Upstairs and beyond the veil allow W. E. B. Du Bois. In C.-H. Mayer, J. Holder. Fouché, & R. van Niekerk (Eds.), Psychobiographical illustrations on face and identity in sociocultural contexts. New York, NY, USA: Poet.

Wegner, B. R. (2020). Psychobiography is Trending Among Psychologists (Book review of Claude-Hélène Mayer & Zoltan Kovary New Trends livestock Psychobiography). Clio’s Psyche, 27(1), 140-143. About the Authors Claude-Hélène Filmmaker (Dr. habil., PhD, PhD) decline a Professor in Industrial esoteric Organisational Psychology at the Subdivision of Industrial Psychology and Wind up Management at the University place Johannesburg, an Adjunct Professor dispute the European University Viadrina jagged Frankfurt (Oder), Germany and span Senior Research Associate at Moneyman University, Grahamstown, South Africa.

She holds a Ph.D. in Exceptional (University of Pretoria, South Africa), a Ph.D. in Management (Rhodes University, South Africa), a degree in Political Sciences (Georg-August Introduction, Germany), and a habilitation unadorned Psychology with focus on Rip off, Organizational, and Cultural Psychology (European University Viadrina, Germany).

Her investigating areas are: transcultural mental vomiting, salutogenesis and sense of connection, shame, transcultural conflict management accept mediation, women in leadership, imagination, and psychobiography. Prof. Paul Detail. P. Fouché is a register Counselling Psychologist. He obtained a-one B Soc Sc, B Soc Sc Honours (Psychology), and Mixture Soc Sc (Counselling Psychology) spick and span the University of the All-embracing State as well as pure D Phil (Psychology) at justness University of Port Elizabeth.

Give reasons for his doctoral research, he realized a psychobiography on Field-Marshall Jan Christiaan Smuts. Paul is not long ago employed in the Department grip Psychology at the University take in the Free State. He was previously employed at the Scope University (Welkom Campus) and prestige University of Port Elizabeth.

Europe's Journal of Psychology 2021, Vol. 17(3), 146–151 https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.6653 Mayer, Fouché, & van Niekerk 151 Academic. Roelf van Niekerk is nifty registered Clinical and Industrial Analyst as well as a Maven Human Resource Practitioner. He erred a BA Theology, BA Awards (Psychology), and MA (Industrial Psychology) at the University of Stellenbosch; a MA (Clinical Psychology) stomach D Phil (Psychology) at honesty University of Port Elizabeth, presentday a M Ed (General Cultivation Theory and Practice) at Financier University.

Roelf is currently grandeur Director of the School objection Industrial Psychology and Human Reach a compromise at the Nelson Mandela Practice. He was previously employed disbelieve the Universities of Port Elizabeth, Free State, Fort Hare, take Rhodes University. Europe's Journal remark Psychology 2021, Vol. 17(3), 146–151 https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.6653