What is Generativity?
Simply defined, generativity is the desire to leave a legacy through care and contributions for future generations.
Generativity is a concept derived from Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. In this model, the main developmental issue changes as you go through life. Generativity is understood as something that adults in midlife are concerned with.
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Is it possible to see generativity in other stages of life? Particularly, in adolescence and young adulthood?
Current Youth Generativity Study
The Youth Generativity Study (YGS) aims to uncover the developmental roots of generativity in emerging adulthood and adolescence. At its core, YGS aims to understand youth generativity better, in regards to how it matures over time & how to support youth in their development in a manner that is conductive to personal fulfillment and positive societal contributions. This study also aims to develop a measurement of generativity for this developmental period.
Interesting Findings
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Generativity in emerging adulthood/adolescence is associated with higher self esteem, prosocial tendencies, lower levels of depressive symptoms, low attachment avoidance (Lawford et al., 2005; Lawford, 2008; Lawford et al., 2017)​
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Generativity in emerging adulthood/adolescence is associated with initiative, empathy, and achieved identity (Lawford and Ramey, 2016; Lawford, et al., 2020)
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Generative youth tend to be more insightful in their personal stories (Lawford & Ramey, 2015)
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Generativity levels in adolescence were the same level as parental levels of generativity (Lawford 2008)
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Caring friends predicts later generativity (Lawford, Doyle, & Markiewicz, 2011)
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Community involvement at age 17 predicts generativity at age 22 (Lawford et al., 2005)
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Generativity is found to be stable across the lifetime, no apparent increase (Lawford, Doyle, & Markiewicz, 2017)
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Interested in reading more? Click here for a list of publications on Google Scholar.