Purpose Based on gender role theory, this study aims to test a moderated mediation model in which gender, mediated by shame, affected salary negotiation initiation and writing pay raise justifications before the negotiation moderated gender effects, by boosting women’s negotiation initiation and lowering their shame. Design/methodology/approach Mixed-methods approach: in a scenario experiment, participants (N = 172; 92 women) imagined initiating salary negotiations with real employers, and shame and the inclination to actually initiate the negotiation were measured. About half the sample wrote pay raise justifications as part of the task. In the qualitative phase of the study, justifications were analyzed. Findings The model’s predictions were not supported. Women were neither less inclined to negotiate nor reported higher shame than men. Across gender, shame related to lower negotiation initiation and was alleviated by justifications’ preparation. Writing justifications did not affect men’s negotiation initiation, but lowered women’s. The qualitative analysis revealed that while all participants preferred communal themes in their justifications, women used themes of confidence, entitlement and power less than men. Originality/value The study provides original evidence in negotiation literature, on the effects of shame, on the practice of preparing pay raise justifications and on specific patterns in justifications’ content.

The present study examined the achievement of work and romantic authorship in 100 Israeli emerging adults (54 men) who were followed from age 22 to 29. At the age of 29, participants were asked to talk about their current occupational and romantic statuses and the changes they underwent and to reflect on the meaning of these changes. Qualitative analyses of the interviews yielded four types of achieving work and romantic authorship: in both or either domain and in only work or only romantic authorship. These types were associated with different changes in goal pursuit and well-being over time and differed across gender. Analysis of our longitudinal data also showed that low self-efficacy combined with low maternal support measured 7 years earlier was associated with the lack of authorship in all domains. Yet, when low efficacy was combined with elevated paternal support, it predicted the achievement of work authorship.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of maturation processes – personality change and reflectivity as characterized by greater awareness to self and others – during emerging adulthood in predicting career success. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 205 of Israeli emerging adults was followed over a 12-year period. Participants completed measures of self-criticism at age 23 and 29, reflectivity at the age of 29 and subjective and objective career outcomes such as satisfaction with work and level of income at the age of 35. Hierarchical regressions determined the extent that decreases in self-criticism as well as greater reflectivity that predicted future career success. Findings The findings of this paper indicated that greater decreases in self-criticism were longitudinally associated with less frequent negative experiences at work and lesser tendency to have doubts about one’s career. Greater reflective capacity was longitudinally associated with a future higher income, greater career satisfaction and a stronger perception of one’s career as a means to implement inner interests. Research limitations/implications The results of this paper suggest that decreasing negative self-perception and enhancing awareness about self and others might facilitate a future career success. Originality/value This is among the first studies that demonstrate the role of personality maturation during emerging adulthood for future career success.

Recent conceptualization and research in personality development have shown that significant changes in personality taking place during emerging adulthood where young people tend to become more emotionally mature and stable. In line with these contentions, we examined in a sample of 205 Israeli emerging adults the longitudinal association between change in self-criticism across ages 23 and 29 and positive developmental and psychological well-being outcomes at age 35. In addition, we examined the extent to which the association between change in self-criticism and future outcomes would be mediated through reflectivity. Findings indicated that greater decrease in self-criticism during emerging adulthood associated with greater reflective capability at age 29 and both longitudinally associated with greater achievement of developmental tasks and better psychological well-being at age 35. Additionally, associations of decrease in self-criticism with future outcomes were mediated through reflectivity. These findings point to maturity processes that can explain outcomes in young adulthood.

Objective Past research has confirmed the role of self‐criticism in numerous forms of psychopathology and negative interpersonal outcomes. However, the majority of these studies were cross‐sectional and have not addressed the role of possible changes in self‐criticism across time for future outcomes. The current study investigated the degree to which changes in self‐criticism during young adulthood precede better psychological outcomes beyond the contribution of their baseline levels. Method A total of 168 Israeli emerging adults were followed for 12 years. Participants completed assessments of self‐criticism at age 23, 24, 26.5, and 29, and of developmental tasks and psychological adaptation at age 35. Analyses assessed the extent to which the intercept and linear slope of self‐criticism were associated with assessments of coping with age‐related tasks and psychological well‐being at age 35. Results Findings indicated that decreases in self‐criticism between the ages of 23 and 29 were associated with better coping with age‐related task outcomes and psychological health at age 35. Conclusions These findings are among the first to show that decreases in self‐criticism serve as important precursors of coping with age‐related tasks and psychological outcomes and point to the positive contributions of changes in personality attributes for future development.