Every person has the enormous potential to positively influence others, but there is no word in the English language that describes this. Many who fear their lasting influences and deny that a positive influence is important, pay psychologically for this neglect.
The 18-25-year-olds today could change this. They report significantly higher potential and need for lasting positive influence than previous generations. This finding, the result of an extensive survey completed by 542 college students, surprisingly suggests that we may see a paradigm shift in the twenty-first century. However, this generation admits that they need education and guidance from the "elders" to fulfill their influence potential.
This interdisciplinary work explores sigfluence, (Loase's new word for significant, long-term, positive influence) from the perspectives of psychology; statistics; mathematical modeling; qualitative research; and personal histories. The evidence, accumulated over two decades of research, supports Dr. Loase's theory that sigfluence is an imperative yet widely neglected personal need, and a key to finding meaning in life.
