Generativity and Adult Development: How and Why We Care for the Next Generation

by Dan P. McAdams (Editor)

Generativity and Adult Development brings together the most creative and informed contemporary thinking and research being done on the psychological, social, and cultural aspects of generativity in adult lives. The book draws together a roster of scholars from the fields of life-span development, personality and social psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, and the arts. The reader will find here a host of stimulating ideas, new research findings, and clinical wisdom about how adults fashion their lives in ways designed to promote the ensuing generations and to leave an enduring legacy that will outlive the self.

511 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

Dan P. McAdams is the Henry Wade Rogers Professor of Psychology and Professor of Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy. A leading expert in personality psychology and narrative identity, McAdams explores how people construct life stories to shape their sense of self. He is the author of several influential books, including The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live By (2006), which examines themes of redemption in American life narratives, and The Strange Case of Donald J. Trump: A Psychological Reckoning (2020), a psychological analysis of Trump's personality. His research has significantly contributed to understanding personality development, identity, and life storytelling.