The anatomy of generativity.

Abstract

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.

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

“…More recently, in a psychosocial approach, McAdams and de St. Aubin (1992) proposed a holistic representation of generativity that links the person and the social world. McAdams, Hart, and Maruna (1998) suggest that this theory of generativity includes seven features: (1) There is a personal inner desire for symbolic immortality (the desire to defy death by constructing legacies that live on) and the need to be needed by others (an expression of communion relating to others in loving, caring, and so on). (2) There is a cultural demand which encompasses a wide spectrum of factors external to the individual (developmental expectations and societal opportunities) that could offer an adult the ability to shape her/his generative inclinations.…”

La generatividad en la vejez y su relación con el bienestar: ¿Quién más contribuye es quien más se beneficia?

“…Tras unas décadas de relativo olvido, la generatividad es reintroducida en los estudios sobre el desarrollo en la adultez por Dan McAdams, quien diferencia entre el interés generativo, definido como una actitud favorable hacia cuestiones generativas, y la acción generativa, o puesta en marcha y concreción en comportamientos de esa actitud favorable (McAdams y Logan, 2004;McAdams, Hart, y Maruna, 1998). Este mismo autor desarrolló instrumentos para eva-anales de psicología, 2013, vol.…”

“…Los autores atribuyen estas diferencias entre interés y actividad generativa a las diferentes oportunidades que las personas pueden tener para llevar a la práctica su interés generativo, en función de diversas circunstancias vitales o variables como el género, el nivel educativo o el estado civil (McAdams et al, 1998). Además, quizá estar implicado en acciones generativas implica mayores dificultades y sinsabores que simplemente expresar interés y preocupación por los demás (Warburton, McLaughin, y Pinsker, 2006).…”

Generativity in College Students: Comparing and Explaining the Impact of Mentoring

“…While Chickering and Reisser (1993) advanced psychosocial research beyond stage based models, they still argued that identity formation is a primary focus of psychosocial development during college years. McAdams, Hart, and Maruna (1998), however, suggested that identity development need not be reserved for a psychosocial stage during late adolescence or early adulthood, but rather that identity development is constructed and reconstructed throughout a person's adult life through narration. Furthermore, the "generativity script" (McAdams, Hart, & Maruna, 1998, p. 12) is one piece of that life narration.…”