Chapter 12. Midlife

Introduction

Chapter 12: Midlife
true
A boy holding a fish and his grandfather holding a fishing pole in front of a body of water.
Jose Luis Pelaez/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images

You learned in your book’s chapter on midlife (the ages between your forties and sixties) that Erik Erikson theorized that those in middle adulthood are engaging in the task of generativity versus stagnation.

Dan McAdams spent his career trying to determine a way to scientifically measure generativity. He wanted to find out if generativity became the main agenda during midlife and, if Erikson (1969) was correct in theorizing that generativity was the key to feeling happy during middle adulthood.

12.1 Activity

In this activity you will take the questionnaire that McAdams constructed to generally measure generative concerns.

Please answer the following items agree or disagree.

Question

UsSAHm7T511qR9b10RATdvrLWYUi7Vxo850RBb3Ka48vkmCfr0DbBFwMjcYaJJQ1ea8SMafp7Nrk+LaSmGlC+A3vEJ65Gn9c727bCEletUlug3qvgOLmmVYuW71IjTeAjEGq8DGwdW6gYVZnnoVsoFJzQ/wBLiTwNfo2T8TfD7+DbBTmNsJ6uenTt3muLqowSoQjf3i0WY8Dw+RLKEHtF+B3YXaAHqZ/FtWGXbXv/dfiI1QIsTVZfyrPWohhLi6rBh76VX7nJAs=

Question

9y4dPcsmBphUObjmjrHrPFkxfhdOw86tzyUoZmTUHNVi8pooLH/ZmvX2AFgYs0Qy9aPJi0eVpMq3wV1pvVqfvGO8BSqQEBUL5D7WlxxgZ5zMzbHSNFfyfGui094wV6PFUeaxMJ3cu9nzcUH2qiKu6tHwVvNDHqnZHHeicekaaVmY/8tzDBBDc/YcrYugpn2T8jqyCOv3ZN1IOoeB5ABu1G/HyJDORfpL

Question

mD6hDNchtBef+i/S/X0LqTPCIq+TDXNGO3OJZ1BxmSOOjxp7dCHYjG4wfTbM39bi+H2mFKqkvAIWbm2eVAtyBipRxscJQiX3swpapcR8X4tMcLnEdcLhHwefFkKSqynRXS+A+U2cTc/QDDUEW5AWLogqKE7WF/uPpsCZ9eI0EaWn62iuct/CkRs7CyQS2dZW4NjlU1xUfjtyWmvapYAgh+AhRpuBnLxvcKQE9A==

Question

x1qIr3//sGoEToHNRCdoh0xnrQw1bcilzbG6Ju51QvIVHa1GSF3c3fZbMezpd0/pRkUkO1IFgC+cpC0uf/rcrGlrEWwg6q/gETGRsynSbwiqhHOrKs0BEuaDE9FHhU4IDYiBqkkzm93fKMHYfYJry1V2E8Ewo1IWxwpBiTAgQkp8KPA+5eoidr3q3M4W1L+qkiovU28LGxDwoLky2vOo0x3D/lD4URBdtWe8xC+YNwHGTNP3ZIChig==

Question

acC60WYvqSJYZ1c57enz/PYIjSJsHRkBPkp8tzi6aB7+Nl+A91twcQNEd79vugdHyZSMhmN/PDQp+cLW8EahxflLGqDe1U/ABMFsBKdq7JXsv7QQnozPHH7swnd9asMaGemZCxkyHJjxhThSUQ/1ScpThr3u/wrhZA1EZuqLMmMJlPYlYslIRCmGc7s00ELxaUWN3a+zUigstWxHoXjXMq/ejJOCk0kf

Question

4vljj9F+bbTJ8cVQIuO/JoLjADFmU4FfbVFFSr68Jxck9KR4xFkh2y/1KeMs0P5PQ/i4SFu7YayLdRB5e6BHP2ptU7u2akdGt44AqqqPpd9+XmXQRBKZEw00WHVjBQwERLYzZUWBIHaW2LG+TxyPj0l09TyB1lHdeDCwnSJyVIex+F3MziWDmH+Bi+dTfZ3NgWJxn0DHRZKBzec1vSm+wTKnbh0D5V9xdabUftHpDnET4HL/4WmyiPrXuf1qIO6rqerVeD/PFuQ=

Question

0AIxcz/6xa0oZUApiAJbtJ0nOhmq89W308ukVcrI2HOAXrKdMuASavihjlYOZTvrBAFbCePSDnjv206U/nLNUCpN2fVETL/qqGaQh4+xYAYdddhVNiJhAsCgoptzW67OpI+2I2hxCF+jcgRcDxN6dyKrVDimmYTca4P04/yZp9Z3spaT30+4sg9Vw2NSrliaeEjL8Fja4DBSrSM9F++oWGiS+3IvGPTMHtipAQ==

Question

TobZzOm5bD4jjmkhTOBYv760CTtQwHU82UowC+b49ScbMCJGkdrgSoTtkYOz6VeGrfDCQ4ETCS1sX24vaOHO/52VPmYSFZjx77N3r0GgtEHrZZ90VtVP37ZWmpnOw05TPqTPJ2O++xAcDXBpfb1o9ZqY8gGBRDv1j/HHXMguCrpz3Q3if3eAft4xEIROnfPPN166mk+ZTe+EJZhO8zqi3bTXYpqK9hvF+h3Nmrm+F9oDQjpoVB2NW1sFxNE=

Question

DV3YqjHJIMzwWGTxiVhcrxxtMFM96z49PuQlB/N24aeZ50G/5ivnQEkSWOLdQGijhLsSgOubGrt604/RyLRDJ8nPCkFPIAWWQDb3+bWodV6Yr1vXK3F0zbd9n81o4exWO3b1X7zoHAx4p4sq2kTGMo62njXo7W+dRNEPEDrFYUezuO/Nq56sRfxIfC7mJnfEtK8F4d9xGq2jb66ax+bEryGHrZnxixdp+gN8vqEPMOj467meZejTKsabJbhy41GlK667RiTzZZYCPyer/Y6mc8sFFrXk7IQ8EEZp+Ewtm11jfGa4

Question

SfdX7C+PxK+UrOcbPWMJWO27qRVomCq1hL24lMXfdPcZelF2wMFBpO9Jh1XeF9MlTKOObhc/xo4oRW0dtuqnxO6Gs6pbJ85nNX+ChoYzXuYVuZ6BfVsiuCPf0qkN5KBMZUeUDpFN/5VXmvPrZ3O1QJqf+wtnboXKewOvVSbIZXWNnH86/u2gDlRwuwtrKuX5jZ5McjWc77LvNnkMd6ObxED/PhvUZbeCMsJdH7knto2f3cz3Sv5TddzIxiAkm9XsQzxwng==

Question

xiPoQuTYRD+algoB5tyfuWegxqtNQY0okdnxsxC2X+p12ElZ5JGrcRcFqT585n8jeYR6WPJzgzhPXoNNzjbsIAvNCMdDvylv57EUpXAGyoUk2bFO1Xu77cvMQofFgyK+SWwSx0ZwDUBtKD87tajNFDj2glce3e8RLSpg/HUc/KBZ8Uji/2f4iseCjnZlQKtnNiZbNOjmCTvJa3p+8QRhmx7W6RSY65XwfXC1sjjAmLOnrBkb/7jDY9NF2VdwB/iRCO6KwLmSadhNAcSm

Question

zN40xalQUuw1/OIE80cUNr188OiBTTLDMp5Wtim4AvHN8hoUY+nPXC7LHJ/jGz+ciO+unkJVsgLAEGyeaQwbDnbPXG65VJFGEkzdxxpR0LVBZfBxFiRbdkg9H0feeaU+M9DwxTfi5R/StJkxV1YEVRMIrbWlVcnAvyMpMLCJxx6b90He4TAHq8XiSmn7NiJK+RjruzUZ8pFnXPLK4wjFzd5nb5L0nUkQRpbqghQaq7remwVQ

Question

zMn8S3h2kg1ZgrmzXGQJzSYPjHK+FSK/EOR6uaansbmqO/EpwLWztvomFgzCD3rJH039L02Wa4+S6f6RJnZEK3lnO1/Nyo+PJtZcfZEAenPEtS2qEQSBHfYBrV5lF80GpqupP12PzNNv6dZ8NZ5S0mxeuTwxSjUMgFAHjsQh3uW594MzHON92YNVr37KQct/vz+ZuVzJWn5fsa+PvTdNRwdDSiRoNf19HuqogFaX5r5sOdDMEW2Bm8GxrTg=

Question

KLfP7cKBxtUrYY00R9FNZ42I7nrbl+cuuARhrvt0Uler2/gSNQ12TdgZePqj0gjzxbrzVct25AuM4ytYI+WLA2ujYgYF7nTRUoRQ1t5QalrWKuBFAhN3wrYf82M1wBW0J9iLjTtYTRgUELptzLNBYcO74uiEXAfZ5hGL/Q8787mQznmOqvRuSdi1GK6ccPxZ6lwPiaD3RXYjqmiju++HAPyBEjoQO4WXviZBOpzQqZhMKvMdQ5Fjoct54b5OvV4h

Question

51knyCL6fq94IhswHsAstZhLYWuO4DdFrhIux83Wtv8FouOZTy/F54H/TM/ONsrDlbMgqwqiOmGfn3k5uEnKBtPLFL0gI0V77rktQpK6TP/JgH+YSC/A23Gq72lPiDbvLPJMG3I3diwd9e2dVQouhyQeoBSRxgHXLLdW5EKH4zeVrECEl4P0hMpkhh3W917a/0XdeX/BoAsRz9bqZtOYfF202qp27jx4ABBjALOdu7e2rRVB1VPNxWkpZI0QGIzXcrKp4GYo0a8=

Question

pVXOoM/Ii7mKzQhTYQlGGKGAbyFXkQg4nYS4li5m67Vzf0HUnNYI9VEVqewc7Wi6OOxPoyljoD+sUrZCU2ND4SGQ82A2/ZSFtZQbZ6gMVvdVWHUdZZb1rXzU057Pd7k7XZbi0c9Xj/BmtZXX81GWvfo/ptpBIe36X9Me0WXdjrH4zQB8LGNppPFLYhEmZsZjmhUX2SlkTorUMO6eunUYWDVab9K0TO5iub0Rez3HHc9IjDbd2ffwWS7KqUHWKWoqq083Utq0Vewl+rJ0MNpqWJZM/+J0MdbmkMsLg0kMjCw=

Question

5zkVwaw9yUc+36LmpwjIy6FBXjdPOk4SMO3n9XHvz1kUdGGLxTUs0YAIiU9zM39pUvRRZAKqcbg72pGSxhJ/T9KEbzpMIPt6zxinFxIg5mldbXyvXGFwplD7/Gw7GhpX3l4ZPbt2YnqvP/Sz0cfVzJNvnz8atd0McsKKVYzXiJZ/Y0MfZkftEedhTPq7Lf0Fk3CjJ78ohlumeoguswXJZ2RkTf3/z4k4m5unxjDib/jrMfSE

Question

D2Fw5UEndk/uOJJDp/r8b40XI3HdLactJ5meSvJo029z3fl0THETbfP5H1oX4nOwWC7ylADUCX3al+umhsTpEQ1lBz3K8Ydz40tyk/20iSKi9T1xpcj+dPjbH/vaddyurBtma/MZ219rMv27gKWQcy8gmFRIcWvVmuzVaO5EFMmHiosMUq8vDOypIygw7p6WZw74rO+hdsZ7d9Mi1ZIWIHTBd2nhdCC/yQxw+rhxMWvKfiB/NvaJ8e5lDfJNSgUV6yZ3ZQ==

Question

yqI7JkRnU34JVe10lQixN+8cYzSVyXfiYbchA/HGq8ZKC8+9WvCtjqOwrulWrZzFCdQ6Isf1sn3wAhP+EH6xlK7N/TdrfEJomKz5/PtSCpqNHI8ITtQy2ftnAWZLwYvkrBAcsFC8YqCjRhqyDSYdmHd02Q73KVdCFjf5vL9T48L/5rQeFpBjLal4IgiZ3f0uKRkMMqKpjAaYLtpU

Question

vWqSlAUMlFIVX5Vc9zObITeIoYOfiM1CUdteOXEWBnxM/wOTvKXvLzYcRNQqOjCh73dEJzkEQvtxFLOnU0H28PiCm2p/Mf1jKj782nf+A8IC55k7KR3RwFjUzqS1X2svjzTMjjdqv2OxJXbrafNQO0sq9ksUEbCuiHg2ptWuQrh65qbCD0S1DQnfQEKvbT+koTOEqXWib4M/i43ZwGy7gnu7KMKkrm2B6ttpdOkAeBrpV9wJPcXHLg==

12.2 Something to Consider

Question

xJGsV+5unhXP2LCYaIoO1A==
Activity status
1

When McAdams tested his generative concern questionnaire with young, middle-aged, and elderly people, he found few age differences in generative attitudes. People were just as likely to care about making a difference in the world at age 20 or 50 or 85. However, when McAdams explored people’s generative priorities by telling them to “list the top ranking agendas in your life now” age differences in generative priorities were evident (McAdams, Hart, & Maruna, 1998; McAdams, 2001).

Young people’s goals were centered on identity issues. Adults in midlife and older were more likely to report generative priorities. These results are not surprising, considering Erikson’s theory. As Erikson would predict, we need to resolve issues related to our personal development before our primary concern shifts to giving to others in the wider world. According to this research, priorities fully focused on giving to the next generation reach a crescendo in the early sixties, once we know exactly who we are (Newton & Stewart, 2010).

Did your attitudes match the attitudes typical for your age?

References

Erikson, E. H. (1969). Gandhi’s truth: On the origins of militant nonviolence. New York: Norton.

McAdams, D. P. (2001). Generativity in midlife. In M. E. Lachman (Ed.), Handbook of midlife development (pp. 395–443). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

McAdams, D. P., Hart, H. M., & Maruna, S. (1998). The anatomy of generativity. In D. P. McAdams & E. de St. Aubin (Eds.), Generativity and adult development: How and why we care for the next generation (pp. 7–43). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

McAdams, D. P., & de St. Aubin, E. (1992). A theory of generativity and its assessment through self-report, behavioral acts, and narrative themes in autobiography. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 62, 1003–1015.

Newton, N., & Stewart, A. J. (2010). The midlife ages: Change in women’s personalities and social roles. Psychology of Women’s Quarterly, 31, 75–84.