AWP 2 (1) - Analytical Working Paper 2 PDF

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Analytical Working Paper Two: “Narrating the Generative Life”

Yash Modi Human and Organizational Development, Vanderbilt University HOD 1250-08: Applied Human Development Dr. Jeremy Payne January 31, 2020

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Part One Generativity is defined as “an adult’s concern for and commitment to promoting the well-being of future generations” (McAdams & Guo, 2015). What kind of life leads to one being the most generative? What are the key themes that one must endure in order to be generative? This study aims to fill these holes by researching late midlife adults through a 2-3 hour life interview. 157 people, of which 60% were females and 40% were males, roughly equally split between White and African American, and ranging in age from 55-57, were collected from Chicago by a social-science research firm. The individuals had annual incomes ranging from below $25,000 to above $300,000 to reduce financial bias in the study. Prior to the “standardized life-story protocol” interview, the sample completed a self-report which included four scales to assess variety in generativity and psychosocial adaptation. These measures included generativity, public-service motivation, psychological well-being, and depression. The interview was conducted in 12 questionnaire segments: brief plot summary, high point, low point, turning point, positive early memory, negative early memory, adult memory, experience of wisdom, religious/spiritual scene, next chapter in life, future dreams, and a project to be done in the future. The study analyzed 12 segments for the five main themes for a redemptive self: early-advantage, sensitivity to suffering, moral steadfastness, redemption sequences, and prosocial goals. The findings showed that one who narrates his/her life story as elements of the five themes is likely to be more generative than their counterpart. Part Two The method used to conduct this research was very convincing and detailed. Utilization of the four self- assessments before the experiment helped assess individual variation in psychosocial life. I was also impressed by the 12 segments the researchers used to conduct the interviews because it covered the essential events in everyone’s life. The organization of experiment provided much caution against any possible bias. At first when I read that there were only five main themes of the redemptive self, I was concerned; yet, I was most convinced by these themes. They seemed to incorporate most aspects of what

3 society thinks of a redemptive self prototype. Although the method used was well-built, the sample did not seem as convincing. The entire sample was collected from Chicago, which can cause inaccuracies in data. Chicago was 107th out of the happiest cities in America, hence area of residence may be a determining factor in measuring redemptive-self (McCann,  2020).  For example, there can be two similar people from Chicago and Irvine, which ranks second in the happiest cities, but their redemptive-self measures could be very different due to differing locations. 157 seems to be a relatively small number compared to the entire population. Increasing that number to possibly thousands could make the data more convincing. 98 percent of the sample was either White or African American, leaving room for discrepancies because these races will not be an accurate representation for the entire Asian population. Although the study shows that having a wide range of annual incomes reduced financial bias, it did not take into account assets and net worth. One could be making less than 6 figures annually and still be happy due to handed down wealth from previous generations. Part Three A major factor that the study overlooks is the surrounding culture of the sample. The world is comprised of 195 countries and this study only focuses on one major city in the United States. A better method would be gathering people from all over the world to measure how different cultures affect generativity. Collecting data in this manner would provide a more complete finding and residents can use specific data from their respective locations to lead a more redemptive lifestyle. Let us hypothesize that we are using this data for citizens in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is ranked 69th in the standard of living, while the United States is ranked 13th, which means that this sample is a harsh measure for Sri Lankans because Americans tend to be tougher on their self-measures due to the culture (2020). This study can help explore a new aspect of human development: integrity versus despair. Integrity is coming to terms with one’s life, while despair is feeling regret for not making the most out of one’s life. This interview process/questionnaires are very similar to ones you would ask to measure one’s satisfaction with life.

4 References (2020). Retrieved 31 January 2020, from http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/standard-of-living-by-country/ McAdams, D., & Guo, J. (2015). Narrating the Generative Life. Psychological Science, 26(4), 475-483. McCann, A. (2020). Happiest Cities in America. Retrieved 31 January 2020, from https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-places-to-live/32619/...