February 24, 2026 — Virtual

Event Overview

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 annual 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. Be sure to JOIN ISSEP to become eligible for the conference awards!

Presenters & Topics

**Keynote Address:**
**Michael Steger**

Colorado State University, USA
Searching for meaning in life: Reviewing the research and highlighting where more search is needed

**Special Address**
: **Timothy Golden**

Whitman College, USA
Before the law: Imagination, history, and repetition as Black existential psychology

**Frank Martela**

Aalto University, Finland
The tripartite model of meaning in life – and beyond it

**Samantha Heintzelman**

Rutgers University, USA
Momentary experiences of meaning in life

**Jinhyung Kim**

Sogang University, Korea
Navigating wide and deep: Development and validation of the Dual Existential Meaning Search scale

**Jonathan Adler**

Olin College, USA
Identity theft: Who we are and who we might become

**Vlad Costin**

University of Sussex, England
A meaningful life extends beyond death: How symbolic immortality predicts existential mattering

**Amy Wrzesniewski**

University of Pennsylvania, USA
Finding vs. crafting meaning in work

**Pninit Russo-Netzer**

Achva Academic College, Israel
From values to action: Cultivating meaning through daily prioritization

**Janelle Goodwill**

University of Chicago, USA
Meaning and purpose in life for Black Americans across the life course

**Travis Proulx**

Cardiff University, Wales
Understanding progressive ressentiment in the campus left: A cross-national network analysis

**Jake Womick**

California State University Bakersfield, USA
The existential dynamics of politics

**Eric Igou**

University of Limerick, Ireland
Managing the everyday existential dread of boredom: A meaning-regulation approach

**Erin Westgate**

University of Florida, USA
Underestimating meaning

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 “Meaning & Purpose.”

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.

Submit your abstract Here!

Register To Attend

Registration windows:

Early-bird rate: Oct 16, 2025 - Jan 22, 2026.

Regular rate: Jan 23 - Feb 13.

Registration closes on Feb 13.

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.

Plan Your trip here

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.