Generativity in midlife and young adults: links to agency, communion and subjective well-being.
Three questions stimulated by Erik Erikson's theory of generativity were addressed: 1) Is generativity associated with greater subjective well-being? 2) Are agency and communion additive or interactive predictors of generativity? 3) Does generativity play a distinct role during the midlife period? Among ninety-eight midlife adults, generativity was positively related to positive affectivity, satisfaction with life, and work satisfaction. Generativity was independently predicted by agentic (masculine) and communal (feminine) traits. Among fifty-eight young adults, generativity predicted positive affect at home. Generativity was independently predicted by agentic (power) and communal (love) interpersonal orientations. Using event-contingent recording of agentic and communal behavior at work, agency was a stronger predictor of generativity for young adult men, and communion was a stronger predictor for young adult women. The studies demonstrate that generativity has similar relations to agency and communion in young and midlife adults; however, generativity may be a stronger predictor of subjective well-being in midlife adults.
Ackerman
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McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Zuroff
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DC
Moskowitz
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DS
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011792:Quebec; D012044:Regression Analysis