1. The Evolution of Sex-Role Theory: Life-Span Development

In search for concepts that help understand how individuals strive for growth and perfection within the boundaries and constraints of human lives, we describe theory and research on the concepts of wisdom, or expert knowledge about human nature and the life course, and Sehnsucht (life longings), the recurring and strong desire for ideal (utopian), alternative states and expressions of life. Both represent relatively new concepts on the agenda of lifespan research, originating from an interest in identifying major topics of public and humanist discourse about the potentials and constraints of life-span development and finding ways to measure them with the methods of normative psychological science. Despite their complexity and multiple meanings, progress has been made in the theory-driven operationalization of wisdom and life longings, allowing new insights into their ontogenesis and role for positive development. Emerging research shows that wisdom and life longings do not directly promote a hedonic life orientation or happiness: neither the insight that life is incomplete (wisdom) nor the experience of this incompleteness (life longings) is compatible with feelings of unequivocal joy and pleasure. Yet, there is emerging evidence that they contribute to other aspects of positive development, emphasizing personal growth, meaning, and the aligning of one's own and other's well-being. We suggest that future research should focus on the links of wisdom and life longings with multiple developmental outcomes and the possible interplay of both concepts in promoting positive development.

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The Life Span Development of Generativity

The Oxford Handbook of Moral Development ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190676049.013.20 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 365-384

Author(s):

Michael W. Pratt ◽

M. Kyle Matsuba ◽

Heather L. Lawford ◽

Feliciano Villar

Keyword(s):

Life Span ◽

Life Story ◽

Family Background ◽

Personality Development ◽

Adult Life ◽

Stage Model ◽

Life Domains ◽

Adult Life Span ◽

Life Span Development ◽

Cultural Variations

This chapter addresses the development of generativity, Erikson’s conception of the midlife strength in his eight-stage model of personality development. Following Erikson, the authors define generativity as care for next generations and set it in the context of both personality theory and life span development. Specifically, the authors draw on the framework of McAdams that characterizes personality as composed of three sequentially developing levels: actions, goals/motives, and the narrative life story (a mature form of narrative that provides the self with a sense of meaning and identity). The authors then review research on generativity as expressed from adolescence to later adulthood, which indicates that it is a relevant construct across this entire period in a variety of life domains. They also consider factors influencing generativity levels, including family background and cultural variations. Throughout the chapter, the authors consider the connections of generativity to morality across different facets of personality and stages of the adult life span.

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SEX-ROLE ORIENTATION AND MARITAL ADJUSTMENT

Social Behavior and Personality An International Journal ◽

10.2224/sbp.1987.15.1.59 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 59-69 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Bernard Davidson ◽

Donna L. Sollie

Keyword(s):

Role Theory ◽

Marital Adjustment ◽

Symbolic Interaction ◽

Sex Role ◽

Married Couples ◽

Dyadic Adjustment ◽

Role Orientation ◽

Sex Role Orientation ◽

The Relationship ◽

Theory Interpretation

The relationship between sex-role orientation and marital adjustment was investigated. Using a sample of 112 married couples, husbands and wives separately completed the Bem Sex-Role Inventory and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. The hypotheses tested were based on the assumption that an androgynous sex-role orientation, which incorporates both instrumental and expressive capacities, would be most positively related to self and spouse's marital adjustment, while an undifferentiated orientation would be least related. Results indicated that in general both androgynous and sex-typed individuals and their spouses were significantly higher in marital adjustment than were undifferentiated individuals and their spouses. In addition, spousal sex-role types were found to be related and couples in which both partners were classified as undifferentiated reported the lowest levels of marital adjustment while androgynous couples and sex-typed couples reported greater levels of marital adjustment. The results were discussed in relation to their support for a symbolic interaction/ role theory interpretation of the association between sex-role orientation and marital adjustment.

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