Family purpose: an empirical investigation of collective purpose

Abstract

ABSTRACT Individual purpose is associated with positive outcomes. Collective purpose, or an enduring intention shared among members of a group for how they seek to contribute to the world beyond their group, may be similarly beneficial. Collective purposes stand to benefit the groups that pursue them as well as the communities that groups find purpose in serving. Despite this, limited research has explored collective purposes. As an instance of collective purpose, the present study explored family purpose. Interviews were conducted with members (N = 87) of 25 families. Findings suggest family purposes exist, they take varied forms based on the target of family members’ shared commitments, and several factors support their pursuit, including shared moral and/or civic virtues, cohesive family structures, family purpose champions, foundational religious beliefs, humble leaders, and shared family identities. Implications of these findings, both for the study of family purpose in particular and collective purposes more generally, are addressed.