Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore how the objective and subjective characteristics of the work domain relate to generativity and stagnation, as indicators of successful psychosocial development. We focused on an age cohort whose work trajectory started during the important macrosocial changes Czech society underwent in the 1980s and 1990s. One hundred and fifty persons, of which 87 were women, participated in two ongoing longitudinal studies which commenced in 1956 (Prague) and 1961 (Brno). The work characteristics (job satisfaction, occupational status and stability of career line) were surveyed in 2011 (mean age 50.24, sd = 2.96) while generativity (generative concern, generative action) and stagnation were measured in 2016 (mean age 54.82; sd = 2.88). Participants’ job satisfaction and the occupational status of their current work functioning proved to be the best predictors of generative concern and stagnation. On the contrary, long-term oriented stability of the career line did not prove to be a significant predictor of generativity or stagnation. Our findings are discussed in the context of macrosocial changes that have occurred in Czech society and in the context of successful development.
Highlights
The past two decades have witnessed substantially increasing interest in positive personality characteristics, in relation to positive psychology and its development (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000)
We explored the relationship between career stability and generativity/ stagnation
We focused on occupational status
Summary
The past two decades have witnessed substantially increasing interest in positive personality characteristics, in relation to positive psychology and its development (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Social adaptation is mainly related to the factors of family and work, while professional growth is rather linked to psychological variables (well-being). Both of these components are largely affected by macrosocial changes. Our research is aimed at focusing on work factors as important components of successful development that are significantly transformable by macrosocial changes. We understand successful development as generativity that includes both psychological and social functioning; in other words, adaptation (fulfilment of societal demands, care for others) and growth (development of inner potential, creativity) (Dillon & Wink, 2007; Wink & Staudinger, 2016)
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