TY - JOUR
T1 - Environmentalism as a Context for Expressing Identity and Generativity
T2 - Patterns Among Activists and Uninvolved Youth and Midlife Adults
AU - Matsuba, M. Kyle
AU - Pratt, Michael W.
AU - Norris, Joan E.
AU - Mohle, Erika
AU - Alisat, Susan
AU - Mcadams, Dan P.
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - Previous qualitative studies have identified themes of generativity and identity development in the interviews of environmental activists (Chan, ; Horwitz, ), suggesting their importance as motives for environmental behavior. The purpose of our study was to extend this work by identifying positive relationships between identity maturity, generativity, and environmentalism using quantitative methodologies. To explore these relationships, we designed quasi-experimental and correlational studies. We recruited 54 environmental activists and 56 comparison individuals, half of whom were youth (mean age=22 years) and the other half midlife adults (mean age=43 years). Sixty-three percent of our sample was female. Participants completed several environmental, generativity, and identity questionnaires. We found that activists and comparison individuals differed on the identity maturity, generativity, and environmental measures overall. Further, greater identity maturity and generativity were associated with higher environmental engagement. And generativity was found to mediate the relation between identity maturity
AB - Previous qualitative studies have identified themes of generativity and identity development in the interviews of environmental activists (Chan, ; Horwitz, ), suggesting their importance as motives for environmental behavior. The purpose of our study was to extend this work by identifying positive relationships between identity maturity, generativity, and environmentalism using quantitative methodologies. To explore these relationships, we designed quasi-experimental and correlational studies. We recruited 54 environmental activists and 56 comparison individuals, half of whom were youth (mean age=22 years) and the other half midlife adults (mean age=43 years). Sixty-three percent of our sample was female. Participants completed several environmental, generativity, and identity questionnaires. We found that activists and comparison individuals differed on the identity maturity, generativity, and environmental measures overall. Further, greater identity maturity and generativity were associated with higher environmental engagement. And generativity was found to mediate the relation between identity maturity
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2012.00765.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2012.00765.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 22224847
AN - SCOPUS:84863775846
SN - 0022-3506
VL - 80
SP - 1091
EP - 1115
JO - Journal of Personality
JF - Journal of Personality
IS - 4
ER -