Agentic and Communal Generative Behavior in Four Areas of Adult Life: Implications for Psychological Well-Being

Authors: Morfei M.Z.¹; Hooker K.²; Carpenter J.³; Mix C.³; Blakeley E.²

Source: Journal of Adult Development, Volume 11, Number 1, January 2004 , pp. 55-58(4)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

Fifty mothers and 48 fathers of soon-to-be-independent children were interviewed to determine how agentic and communal generative themes would be reflected in parenting, occupation, volunteer work, and leisure activities. Mothers reported more communal themes (F{5, 83} = 2.32, p <.05). Correlations between generativity and well-being resulted in a negative relationship for mothers in parenting communal generative acts (r = -.41, p = .007) and total generative acts (r = -.3, p = .05) as assessed by the interview. Negative correlations also emerged between mothers' well-being and communal generative acts from the Generative Behavior Checklist, (r = -.33, p = .02).

Keywords: generativity; generative behavior; psychological well-being

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:JADE.0000012528.25409.aa

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychology, Wells College, Aurora, New York;, Email: mzmorfei@wells.edu 2: Oregon State University, Oregon 3: Wells College, Aurora, New York

Publication date: 2004-01-01