A new initiative in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) will expand on an understudied area of research: purpose.

Anthony Burrow, director of the BCTR, has launched the Purpose Science and Innovation Exchange (PSiX), an initiative dedicated to the generative science and lived experience of “purpose” – a central, self-organizing life aim that stimulates goals, influences one’s behaviors and provides a sense of meaning.

“There are strongly held beliefs about the value of having purpose in life, but inadequate research on how purpose affects one’s health, well-being and daily functioning,” said Burrow, the Ferris Family Associate Professor of Life Course Studies in the College of Human Ecology (CHE). “Launching PSiX is timely because there is a considerable public interest in purpose, plus it positions Cornell as a hub for advancing and accelerating this research.”

A primary research focus for PSiX, which launched April 2, is understanding how young people develop a sense of purpose, and how it impacts their everyday experiences and contributes to their long-term development. Research from Burrow’s lab, the Purpose and Identity Processes Lab (PIP Lab), has shown that youth with a greater sense of purpose tend to feel more positive and are more resilient in the face of stressors and challenges.

“Sensing purpose at a young age is a developmental asset,” Burrow said. “As purposeful people age, they have greater life satisfaction, less loneliness and they tend to be less impulsive, suggesting that cultivating purpose early in life has cascading positive benefits.”

PSiX is building from this foundation with its own research staff and by collaborating with a close-knit network of researchers from other universities. Known as the “Lab of Labs,” the structure will allow PSiX to expand and accelerate research as needed. Lab of Labs partners include: Patrick Hill, professor of psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis; Nancy Sin, associate professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia; Lisa Kiang, professor of psychology at Wake Forest University; and Joanna Williams, senior director of research at Search Institute.

All have worked together, in some combination, on purpose research: for example, Burrow and Hill have published research on how purpose affects stress and health across the lifespan.

Burrow said the Lab of Labs is an innovative solution for sustaining collaborative research because it allows other researchers to incorporate their research expertise as needed. “My research focus has been on youth,” Burrow said, “but with Lab of Labs partners focused on purpose in mid- and later life, we can provide a richer understanding than we’d have working alone.”

PSiX will work closely with its sister organization, Purpose Commons, a national nonprofit dedicated to translating purpose research into direct engagement with youth. Burrow co-founded Purpose Commons and sits on its advisory board. The first collaboration between PSiX and Purpose Commons is the National Contribution Project, which provides young people with $400 to invest in a contribution of their choosing – whether for themselves or others.

By engaging adolescents and college students from across the country, PSiX expands the reach of purpose research, offering a broader and more diverse participant base than the projects held only on campus. It also hopes to generate insights for youth-serving organizations, helping them better understand and support young people’s aspirations.

“The most exciting aspect of this partnership is the opportunity to approach this work in a transformative way,” said TeRay Esquibel, executive director of Purpose Commons. “Together, we can advance research by bridging the gap between theory and practice by working alongside youth and leaders who envision solutions to real-world challenges.”

As part of a translational research center within CHE, PSiX is well-positioned for its future research objectives: studying how purpose affects leadership and career development; how purpose can be incorporated into wellness programs; and how technology can enhance purposeful living.

“The research goals of PSiX are well aligned with our areas of focus in the college, as well as with our mission of improving lives,” said Rachel Dunifon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of CHE. “It’s been exciting to see a member of our faculty leading the charge in this emerging field of research, continuing our legacy of trailblazing thinkers.”

Juan Vazquez-Leddon is the communications director for the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research.