It requires only a passing familiarity with the popular writings of ErikErikson to have an inkling of what the concept of generativity is all about.It is about the next generation, about bearing, raising, caring for children -one's own and others. It is about assuming the role of responsible parent, mentor, shepherd, guardian, guide, and so on, vis-8-vis those whose development and well-being benefit from the care that role provides. It is even about assuming such a role vis-S-vis society writ large, about being a responsible citizen, a contributing member of a community, a leader, a mover, and a shaker. In addition, it is about generating: creating and producing things, people, and outcomes that are aimed at benefiting, in some sense, the next generation, and even the next. Generativity is clearly about many things. In Erikson's writings, furthermore, one finds reference to generativity as an instinctive "drive," a "need," a "motive," a psychosocial "issue," a "trait" on which people differ, a "stage" in development, and a criterion of psychological "adaptation" and "maturity." There are generative people, generative situations, and generative societies. We thank Ed de St. Aubin, Ravenna Helson, and Barbara Newman for their comments on early drafts of this manuscript. Preparation of the manuscript was aided by two grants to Dan McAdams from the Spencer Foundation and by support for Dan McAdams and Holly Hart from the Foley Family Foundation.
