Using personal and fictional documents to assess psychosocial development: A case study of Vera Brittain's generativity.

Abstract

Adult diaries and novels written by the British feminist and pacifist Vera Brittain (1893-1970) were content analyzed for Eriksonian themes of identity, intimacy, and generativity. Brittain's concerns with identity and intimacy decreased over time, while her generative concerns increased, suggesting that she expressed the issue of generativity vs. stagnation in her mid-life diaries and fiction. The large number of identity themes relative to both intimacy and generativity provokes speculations about Brittain's personality, the characteristics of writers, the influence of gender, the impact of society, and the possibility that the crisis of identity vs. role confusion involves the last major structural change in personality development. This archival case study is consistent with Erikson's notion of a sequence of concerns with psychosocial issues, although directions for theoretical revision and elaboration are discussed.

Generativity and self-enhancement values in eco-friendly behavioral intentions and environmentally responsible consumption behavior

“…He argued that researchers should expand conceptualizations of generativity by eliminating any constraints of age. According to McAdams and de St. Aubin (1992), Erickson's model implies much more structural change in adult personality development than most contemporary theorists (McCrae & Costa, 1990;Peterson & Stewart, 1990). Moreover, Ryff and Heincke (1983) tested the level of generativity on three samples from different age groups (average ages 21, 48, 69) and found that the youngest of the three samples tended to show the highest generativity score.…”

Generativity in multiple roles

“…Interest in the Eriksonian notion of generativity and its role in the lives of mature adults has recently increased (see, e.g., Hamachek, 1990;Kotre, 1984;McAdams, 1988;McAdams & de St. Aubin, 1992;McAdams, de St. Aubin, & Logan, 1993;McAdams, Ruetzel, & Foley, 1986;Ochse & Plug, 1986;Peterson & Stewart, 1990;Ryff & Heincke, 1983;Snarey, 1993; Van de Water & McAdams, 1989). Occupying much of adulthood, generativity concerns focus on "establishing and guiding the next generation" (Erikson, 1963, p. 267).…”

“…Several scholars (e.g., Kotre, 1984;McAdams, 1988;McAdams et al, t986;Peterson & Stewart, 1990Stewart, Franz, & Layton, 1988;Stewart, Franz, Paul, & Peterson, 1991) have focused on the degree to which generative expressions are "agentic" (i.e., self-asserting and directed toward mastery) or "communal" (i.e., affiliative and directed toward connection with others) and the possible need for balance between them (Stewart & Malley, 1987). Kotre (1984) and Snarey (1993) have focused on multiple loci of generative expression, including biological, parental, and societal targets.…”

Gender, Social Class, and the Subjective Experience of Aging: Self-Perceived Personality Change From Early Adulthood to Late Midlife

“…These contributions can be oriented toward caring for and fostering the development of others or contributing to the larger society and culture in some way. For example, research indicates that productivity and teaching expertise are important components of generativity (Kotre, 1984;Peterson & Stewart, 1990). Kotre (1984) holds that the transfer of specific skills, such as cooking or reading, represent forms of technical generativity.…”