PSYCH 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Midlife Crisis, Sandwich Generation
Document Summary
Generativity: give to and guide the next generation; make a lasting contribution; less. Stagnation: become self-absorbed; no sense of purpose; selfish stage (negative resolution) Biological generativity: conceive and give birth into one"s 40s. Work generativity: skills passed on to others, mentoring. It is found across ages, no differences in attitudes or activities. Everyone thinks that giving back and helping the next generation is important. Where we see differences between age groups: Priorities: young people prioritize generativity lower than older people. But they do experience a greater sense of purpose and meaning. Hedonic (happiness from pleasure) vs. eudaimonic (happiness from purpose) happiness. 40 men (35-45 years) - hourly workers, business execs, university biologists, novelists. 40 women (35-45 years) - homemakers, business executives, university professors. Evaluate success in achieving early adulthood goals. Going back to school, changing jobs, etc. Making new friends, joining a new club.
