Themes of trust, identity, intimacy, and generativity in important autobiographical memories: Associations with life periods and life satisfaction

INTRODUCTION

Guided by Erikson's theory of psychosocial development, the present study investigated whether themes of trust, identity, intimacy, and generativity are represented in older adults' most important autobiographical memories. Furthermore, we tested whether these themes are associated with certain life periods and whether having important memories (i.e., life story) that reflect developmental themes and are evaluated as positive is associated with life satisfaction.

METHODS

One hundred and twelve (59.8% female) older adults (61-92 years, M = 70.96, SD = 6.81) reported up to 15 important autobiographical memories. Participants rated each memory according to the themes of trust/mistrust, identity/confusion, intimacy/isolation, and generativity/stagnation.

RESULTS

Using multilevel multinomial logistic regression, we found childhood memories to be associated with trust, memories from participants' youth with identity and intimacy, and adulthood memories with intimacy and generativity. Moreover, participants who rated their autobiographical memories (i.e., life story) as high in reflecting themes and, at the same time, perceived their memories as more positive showed higher levels of life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Important autobiographical memories reflect how an individual became the person of today. They refer to age-related themes of psychosocial development and are associated with a person's life satisfaction if they are also considered as emotionally more positive.

Who Believes in the Species? Three-Factor Structure and Heritability of Generativity

Erikson asked what makes some people care for the future of the species and others not, calling this 'generativity vs. stagnation'. In three studies, we addressed structure of this trait and its heritability. Study 1 (N = 1570), using structural models of the Loyola Generativity Scale , revealed three correlated factors consisting of (1) Establishing and aiding the next generation; (2) Maintaining the world; and (3) Symbolic immortality through a positive legacy. Study 2 (N = 311) successfully replicated this structure in an independent UK sample. Study 3 tested genetic and environmental influences on generativity. All three factors showed significant and substantial heritable influence. A general factor was required, which was also heritable. In resolving previous uncertainty over the transmission of generativity across generations, shared environmental transmission models fit poorly. Substantial unique environmental effects suggest strong cultural impacts on concern for the species. Generativity researchers may usefully adopt this three-factor scoring system, allowing research on the predictive power of each component of generativity as well as molecular genetic or biological studies.

"Who's Been Putting Socks in My Drawer?" Narrative Case Study of an Elder Role Model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

This article presents a narrative-based case study about vital involvement in an elder role model, exploring the dimensions of this man's current vital involvement and identifying its lifelong expressions that appear, in older adulthood, to have enabled him to become such an exemplar. This case was chosen from a larger study of "Elder Roles Models", that explores: (i) What about these particular older adults (identified by colleagues, friends, program directors, and service providers) constitutes their "elder role model-hood"; and (ii) How, developmentally, they got to be this way in older adulthood. This case study addresses the first of these questions by identifying five dimensions of vital involvement.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Case study data were collected through five, semi-structured life-history interviews conducted over the 3 months. Interviews (90-120 minutes, each) were transcribed and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

FINDINGS

Five dimensions emerged as constituting this man's vital involvement in older adulthood: (i) enacting personal values and strengths; (ii) person-environment reciprocity; (iii) using environmental supports; (iv) enriching the environment; and (v) experience-based perspective.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Dimensions are contextualized in terms of gerontological and life-cycle research, theory, and practice. A fundamental principle of Erikson's theory of lifelong psychosocial development, the vital involvement dynamic, is suggested as an "umbrella concept" for integrating disparate gerontological practices, theories, and research, and for conceptualizing older adulthood in the context of the life cycle as a whole.

The Critique of Regression: The Person, The Field, The Lifespan

The term regression refers to the idea that a person can return to earlier phases of mental development and the primitive modes of functioning associated with them. A core concept in both conflict and deficit models of development, the idea has nonetheless come under increasing scrutiny from critics who argue that it misleads us into a genetic fallacy whereby we reduce the issues of adolescent and adult development to their childhood precursors. Inderbitzen and Levy (2000) suggest that we focus on transformations, or shifts, in mental organization, instead of on regressions. But discarding the concept of regression has theoretical implications: to adopt instead a focus on shifts in mental organization we must (1) consider our object of study to be the meaning-making person, not isolated instincts or needs; (2) understand conscious and unconscious mental life to be embedded in the here-and-now relational field; and (3) adopt a lifespan model of development. The aim here is to outline a theoretical framework in which we can more fully explore the possibility of discarding "regression" in favor of a focus on transformations in the developmental present.

Predictors of Prosocial Behavior: Differences in Middle Aged and Older Adults

Generativity, contributing to the next generation, is important for well-being throughout middle and late life. Therefore, it is crucial to understand what contributes to generativity during these life stages. Parenting and work are common, but not the only, ways people engage generatively; prosocial behavior is another. A community connection may encourage generative contributions in adults. However, older adults may face obstacles to being generative, and may need an additional drive to engage in these behaviors. Given this, it was expected that community cohesion would predict prosocial behavior despite age, and that grit would provide motivation for older adults, so the current study examined whether age moderated the relation between grit and prosocial behavior. Data were used from 188 upper-Midwest adults (aged 37-89). Multiple regression analyses showed that age moderated the relation between grit and prosocial behavior such that grit predicted prosocial behavior in older adults but not middle age adults. A sense of community cohesion was predictive of prosocial behavior despite age. While grit may promote generative acts in different ways depending on age, a sense of community cohesion may foster community contributions despite age. The discussion focuses on future directions and ways to promote generativity using this research.

Quilting as a generative activity: Studying those who make quilts for wounded service members

A qualitative study of 24 quilters examined their experiences creating and delivering quilts to wounded service members who served in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Using Erikson's (1963) perspective on generativity and Baumeister and Vohs's (2002) theory of motivation as theoretical frameworks, along with McCracken's (1988) five-step analysis model, we looked at the part motivation played in this process. The results were that respondents wanted to supply quilts in response to their own family histories of military involvement, to support friends/acquaintances with family in the military, and to make a difference to those who seemed young and badly wounded. Some respondents described being affected by the reactions of quilt recipients and of healing from their own traumas and grief.

Untapped richness in Erik H. Erikson's rootstock

Erik H. Erikson published his groundbreaking theory of 8 stages of lifelong psychosocial development in 1950. His theory expanded psychoanalytic concepts of psychosexual development to include the importance of social dynamics; it transcended then-current thinking that psychological development culminated in early adulthood, acknowledging that systematic human development continues throughout the entire life cycle. The theory made Erikson a pioneer in developmental psychology. His last authored book, Vital Involvement in Old Age, rearticulated and elaborated 3 principles that, in different words, are rooted in his original theory of healthy life cycle development: (1) Dynamic Balance of Opposites; (2) Vital Involvement; and (3) Life in Time. Using a lens informed by knowledge gained over the past 30 years and by reflections of one of the original researchers on that project, the current manuscript seeks to spark new interest in Erikson's late-life contribution. It explains the principles in new detail, links them to relevant research, and suggests ways they could enable Erikson's ideas to further enrich gerontological practice and research.