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Humanism and Normativism: Two fundamental aspects of the personal worldview

Nilsson, Artur LU (2013) 13th FEPSAC European Congress of Sport Psychology
Abstract
Broad systems of meaning permeating a person’s worldview are crucial to personality, because they organize beliefs,

values, and attitudes and imbue lives with meaning and direction. Yet they have attracted little research. Humanism

and Normativism are arguably the broadest worldview constructs to date, encompassing attitudes about human

nature, society, morality, affect, and epistemology. According to Polarity Theory, they are antithetical: Humanism

glorifies humanity, portraying human beings as intrinsically valuable, whereas Normativism portrays human worth as

contingent upon norm conformity and achievement of ideals. But previous research has shown that they are distinct.

The... (More)
Broad systems of meaning permeating a person’s worldview are crucial to personality, because they organize beliefs,

values, and attitudes and imbue lives with meaning and direction. Yet they have attracted little research. Humanism

and Normativism are arguably the broadest worldview constructs to date, encompassing attitudes about human

nature, society, morality, affect, and epistemology. According to Polarity Theory, they are antithetical: Humanism

glorifies humanity, portraying human beings as intrinsically valuable, whereas Normativism portrays human worth as

contingent upon norm conformity and achievement of ideals. But previous research has shown that they are distinct.

The current studies further investigated their differences. Study 1 demonstrated correlations with other worldview

constructs: mechanism, positivism (Normativism), organicism, constructivism, and transcendentalism (Humanism). In

Study 2, Normativism correlated with absolutist thinking, including belief in certain knowledge, essentialist beliefs,

political conservatism, and both religious fundamentalism and opposition to religion, whereas Humanism correlated with

spirituality and opposition to inequality. Study 3 demonstrated correlations with Big Five Aspects, including

compassion, enthusiasm, and openness (Humanism) and low compassion, openness, and intellect, but high orderliness

(Normativism). The differential underpinnings and explanatory powers of Humanism and Normativism are discussed. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to conference
publication status
unpublished
subject
keywords
worldview, polarity theory, Tomkins, ideology, philosophy of life, personality
conference name
13th FEPSAC European Congress of Sport Psychology
conference location
Madeira, Portugal
conference dates
2011-07-12 - 2011-07-17
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f8679f69-e6e2-4b1b-8907-7741d16d7402 (old id 4022165)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 13:48:00
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:16:22
@misc{f8679f69-e6e2-4b1b-8907-7741d16d7402,
  abstract     = {{Broad systems of meaning permeating a person’s worldview are crucial to personality, because they organize beliefs, <br/><br>
values, and attitudes and imbue lives with meaning and direction. Yet they have attracted little research. Humanism <br/><br>
and Normativism are arguably the broadest worldview constructs to date, encompassing attitudes about human <br/><br>
nature, society, morality, affect, and epistemology. According to Polarity Theory, they are antithetical: Humanism <br/><br>
glorifies humanity, portraying human beings as intrinsically valuable, whereas Normativism portrays human worth as <br/><br>
contingent upon norm conformity and achievement of ideals. But previous research has shown that they are distinct. <br/><br>
The current studies further investigated their differences. Study 1 demonstrated correlations with other worldview <br/><br>
constructs: mechanism, positivism (Normativism), organicism, constructivism, and transcendentalism (Humanism). In <br/><br>
Study 2, Normativism correlated with absolutist thinking, including belief in certain knowledge, essentialist beliefs, <br/><br>
political conservatism, and both religious fundamentalism and opposition to religion, whereas Humanism correlated with <br/><br>
spirituality and opposition to inequality. Study 3 demonstrated correlations with Big Five Aspects, including <br/><br>
compassion, enthusiasm, and openness (Humanism) and low compassion, openness, and intellect, but high orderliness <br/><br>
(Normativism). The differential underpinnings and explanatory powers of Humanism and Normativism are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Nilsson, Artur}},
  keywords     = {{worldview; polarity theory; Tomkins; ideology; philosophy of life; personality}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  title        = {{Humanism and Normativism: Two fundamental aspects of the personal worldview}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/6207876/4022166.pptx}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}