http://www.psychologicalselfhelp.org...3/chap3_9.html
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Understanding Why We Need Meaning in Our Lives:
What's Religion's Role?

Baumeister (1991), in an impressive psychological and historical
analysis, says that four basic needs push us to find meaning in our
lives. If all four are satisfied, we feel life is meaningful; otherwise, we
feel somewhat dissatisfied. [*]<ul type="square">
These needs are[*] (1) to have purpose--
striving for something in the future. You may seek goals (good job,
children, retirement) or fulfillment (happiness, pride, how we imagine
we will feel when we reach our worthy goals).
[*](2) A need to have
value --wanting to be seen as good and justified in our actions. Moral
systems, like the Golden Rule, originally enabled us to live together
with some degree of harmony.
[*](3) A need for efficacy --feeling
effective, capable, in control, and that we have made or will make a
difference. Humans even need and strive for illusions of control; a
myth reduces distress.
[*](4) A need for self-worth-- finding a basis for
feeling positive about their lives. The more of these sources of self-
esteem we have, the more secure we are. (But, excessive demands on
the "self" for meaning causes depression.) Unfortunately, self-worth
often involves trying to feel superior to someone or groups of others,
thus, for example, the poor southern white male in 1860 felt superior
to the black slave and fought, in part, to maintain his status (see
chapters 7 and 9 for many examples of chauvinism).

These four needs (and their causes) combine with our life experiences (our culture, our
family rules, our religion, and our friends' views) to produce our
personal value system and the meaning attached to our life.[/list]