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Existential Psychology SPSP Preconference

February 24, 2026 — Virtual

The science of existential psychology focuses on core issues of “being” and “becoming,” including: time, aging, and death; freedom and responsibility; isolation, uncertainty, and shared reality; culture, self, and identity; and meaning and purpose in life. The Existential Psychology Preconference showcases theoretical and empirical advances in this exciting area, bringing together researchers at all levels in an environment of collaboration and lively intellectual exchange.

The theme of our 8th consecutive Existential Psychology SPSP Preconference is “Meaning & Purpose.” A Keynote Address will discuss research on the search for meaning in life, and a Special Address will consider Black Existentialism and the struggle for purpose among those coping with hostile and systematic obstacles to life goals. A series of 12 Featured Research Talks will present research findings further exploring meaning and purpose in dynamic relation to social cognition, affect, and behavior. A poster session and two data blitz sessions will cover these and a wide range of other existential psychological topics, and an award ceremony will recognize excellent contributions to the field.

The event is organized by the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology (ISSEP) and will be hosted by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) virtually on Tuesday February 24, 2026.

Submit your abstract to present a Data Blitz talk or poster! Submission portal opens September 5 - October 23, 2025.

Early-bird registration: Oct 16, 2025 - Jan 22, 2026. Regular rate: Jan 23 - Feb 13. Registration closes on Feb 13.

Below, you will find information about our programming schedule, registration, planning your trip, submitting your abstract, available awards/funding, our sponsors, and organizer contact information. Be sure to JOIN ISSEP to become eligible for the conference awards!


Event Schedule, Presenters, & Topics

Segment start time (Chicago, USA Time) Segment Presenter Topic/Title
8:00-8:30am Welcome, orientation Kenneth Vail
Cleveland State University, USA
8:30-9:15am Keynote Address Michael Steger
Colorado State University, USA
The search for meaning in life
9:15-10:15am Poster Session Many presenters Various
10:15-10:25am Coffee Break --- ---
10:25-10:40am Research Talk #1 Pninit Russo-Netzer
Achva Academic College, Israel
Meaning in life and mental health
10:40-10:55am Research Talk #2 Frank Martela
Aalto University, Finland
Tripartite models of meaning in life
10:55-11:10am Research Talk #3 Vlad Costin
University of Sussex, England
Coherence, significance, and purpose
11:10-11:35am Data Blitz #1 5 presenters Various
11:35-11:50am Research Talk #4 Travis Proulx
Cardiff University, Wales
Meaning violations and meaning maintenance
11:50am-12:05pm Research Talk #5 Eric Igou
University of Limerick, Ireland
Boredom and meaning in life
12:05-12:20pm Research Talk #6 Jonathan Adler
Olin College, USA
Meaning, identity, and culture
12:20-1:20pm Lunch --- ---
1:20-2:05pm Special Address Timothy Golden
Whitman College, USA
Black existentialism, meaning, and purpose
2:05-2:50pm ISSEP Award Ceremony Recognition of recipients of grants, best paper, outstanding student, career awards Recipient remarks: Early & Distinguished Career Awards
2:50-3:00pm Coffee Break --- ---
3:00-3:15pm Research Talk #7 Samantha Heintzelman
Rutgers University, USA
Commonplace meaning in life
3:15-3:30pm Research Talk #8 Jake Womick
California State University Bakersfield, USA
Meaning, ideology, and politics
3:30-3:45pm Research Talk #9 Jinhyung Kim
Sogang University, Korea
Meaning, personality, culture
3:45-4:10pm Data Blitz #2 5 presenters Various
4:10-4:25pm Research Talk #10 Janelle Goodwill
University of Chicago, USA
Suicide prevention and meaning, purpose, and hope among Black Americans
4:25-4:40pm Research Talk #11 Amy Wrzesniewski
University of Pennsylvania, USA
The experience and meaning of work
4:40-4:55pm Research Talk #12 Erin Westgate
University of Florida, USA
Meaning, purpose, and active engagement
4:55-5:00pm Closing Remarks Kenneth Vail
Cleveland State University, USA

Register to Attend

Early Bird registration opens on October 16, 2025 and ends on January 22, 2026.

Regular registration will close on February 13, 2025.

Plan Your Trip

Our SPSP Preconference will be virtual, but if you’re planning to attend in-person, please visit the SPSP Convention website for info about the venue, official housing block, roommate match-up program, airfare discounts, and things to do in Chicago.

Submit Your Abstract

We invite anyone to submit abstracts for posters and data blitz presentations.

  • Data Blitz session: A Data Blitz session will feature two series of five brief (4 minutes max) research talks. Come share a snapshot of your fascinating findings!

  • Poster presentations: A poster session will showcase the science of existential psychology’s wide range of research topics, methods, and applications. Come show your latest work!

We invite submissions from undergraduates, graduate students, and seasoned researchers alike. Submissions may deal with any existential psychological topics, and are not required to touch on this year’s preconference theme of “Isolation, uncertainty, and shared reality.”

Abstracts can be submitted through the online submission portal (below) between September 5 - October 23, 2025. Initial selection notifications will be distributed between Nov 1 to Dec 1; further selections may be announced later.

Sponsored Awards – Funding available!

We are excited to offer a slate of sponsored conference awards to recognize innovative new research and support the attendance and inclusion of diverse students and professional researchers interested in the science of existential psychology.

HOW TO APPLY: To apply, submit your abstract(s) for a poster and/or data blitz and indicate your eligibility for one or more of the following awards on the submission form.

1. ISSEP Innovation in Existential Psychology Research Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (2) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Innovation in XP research involves applying an existential lens to research a topic that has thus far received minimal attention in XP; developing a compelling new theoretical perspective in XP; and/or developing research methods that offer fresh insights into existential psychological processes.

2. ISSEP Cross-cultural Existential Psychology Research Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (2) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Recognizes research that adopts a cross-cultural theoretical and methodological approach to the science of existential psychology, such as including samples of participants in non-WEIRD cultural contexts.

3. ISSEP International Existential Psychology Research Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (2) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Recognizes research led by research teams based at institutions outside of North America.

4. ISSEP Interdisciplinary Existential Psychology Research Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (2) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Recognizes research that blends the theory and methods of existential psychology with those of other disciplines, e.g., developmental psychology, cognitive and affective science, sociology, anthropology, cultural evolution, history, political science, communications, economics, business studies, sports and athletics, religious studies, and philosophy, among others.

5. ISSEP Graduate Student Diversity Conference Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be a graduate student; (2) must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (3) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Preference will be given to members of under-represented groups, to promote inclusion and cultivate contributions from individuals across a broad range of ages, developmental and acquired disabilities, religious perspectives, races and ethnicities, socioeconomic status, sexual orientations, indigenous heritages, national origins, and sex/genders.

6. ISSEP Graduate Student Conference Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be a graduate student; (2) must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (3) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

7. ISSEP Undergraduate Student Diversity Conference Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an undergraduate student; (2) must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (3) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Preference will be given to members of under-represented groups, to promote inclusion and cultivate contributions from individuals across a broad range of ages, developmental and acquired disabilities, religious perspectives, races and ethnicities, socioeconomic status, sexual orientations, indigenous heritages, national origins, and sex/genders.

8. ISSEP Undergraduate Student Conference Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an undergraduate student; (2) must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (3) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

9. ISSEP Ernest Becker Conference Award

  • Eligibility: (1) Must be an undergraduate student; (2) must be an active ISSEP member at time of submission/review of abstracts; (3) must be an author on submitted abstract for poster, data blitz, or other presentation.

  • Criteria: Recognizes work building on the ideas of Ernest Becker in advancing the research, communication, and/or application of the science of existential psychology, including quantitative and/or qualitative research, theoretical advances, or systematic reviews of the scientific literature.

Sponsors

We are proud to announce the sponsors of this year’s Existential Psychology SPSP Preconference:

International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology

The International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology is devoted to encouraging the scientific research, communication, and application of existential psychology

Cleveland State University

CSU is seeking talented students to join the Psychological Science MA or Adult Development & Aging PhD graduate program, with research focus on Existential Psychology. Learn more at CSUohio.edu

Worth Publishers

Worth Publishers offers key titles in social psychology, such as Social Psychology: The Science of Everyday Life (third edition), which integrates core perspectives in social psychology with the existential perspective.

Templeton World Charity Foundation

ISSEP is organizing this event with generous support from the Templeton World Charity Foundation (Grant #30414).

Contact Organizers

Mark Landau

University of Kansas
mjlandau@ku.edu

Kenneth Vail

Cleveland State University
k.e.vail@csuohio.edu

Sarah Ward

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
sw2020@illinois.edu