Within this model, the quest for personal significance is motivated by the desire to matter, to be someone and to have respect (Jensen, Seate, & James, 2020, p. 1069; van Prooijen & Kuijper, 2020, p. 2). For many individuals, significance is gained through family, work, or the pursuit of meaningful goals (van Prooijen & Kuijper, 2020, p. 2). Significance produces esteem, meaning, achievement, competence, control and so on (Kruglanski, Bélanger, & Gunaratna, 2019, pp. 42-43). Significance is lost through grievances such as insecurity, injustice, humiliation, or a triggering event that produces uncertainty (van Prooijen & Kuijper, 2020, p. 2; Webber & Kruglanski, 2017, p. 36). Much like in the other theories presented, this can produce a sense of meaninglessness, self-uncertainty, confusion about one’s worth, and, within this theory, a desire to restore significance through specific ideological goals (van Prooijen & Kuijper, 2020, p. 2; Kruglanski, Bélanger, & Gunaratna, 2019, p. 103).
Need is the motivational element that, through the personal significance quest, dictates the end or the goal that the individual strives to obtain (Kruglanski, Bélanger, & Gunaratna, 2019, p. 55). Some authors refer to this as the “struggle for recognition” (Kruglanski, Bélanger, & Gunaratna, 2019, p. 43). It is important to note that the loss of significance relates to sacred values that transcend everyday existence and can be subjective (Webber & Kruglanski, 2017, p. 38).