Year: 1996
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In spite of a broad body of theoretical discussion on generativity, empirical research has yet to confirm many central tenets of the theory. Within 2 research studies, 3 questions were addressed. A study of 98 midlife men and women pursued (1) the relationship between generative concerns and 4 indicators of adjustment, positive affect, negative affect, life satisfaction, and work satisfaction, and (2) the role of agency and communion as predictors of generative concerns, with attention to sex differences in these predictive roles. A study of 75 largely pre-midlife women and men provided a conceptual replication of the results of the first study, while also addressing a third question: (3) the role of age effects in the experience of generativity. Together, these studies provided evidence of a relationship between generative concerns and 2 adjustment variables, positive affect and work satisfaction. Evidence in favor of an additive model, in which agency and communion served as independent predictors of generative concerns, was also obtained. As well, there was modest evidence of sex differences, such that agency variables were more significant predictors of generativity for women and communion variables were more significant predictors for men. No evidence of an age effect in predicting generative concerns was found; in fact, all of the findings appear to be applicable to a pre-midlife sample as well as a midlife one. However, some interesting trends for age interactions were found. The research points to an association between generativity and adjustment. It also provides moderate support for an additive model predicting generative concerns with agency and communion. The importance of attending to possible sex differences in this predictive relationship is also illustrated.
DOI: 10.82308/10628
Author: Ackerman, Sarah
Institution: McGill University
Language: English
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2240233233