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DANIEL LEVINSONWho is he?Daniel Levinson graduated from Yale as
a psychologist. He later developed a
comprehensive theory of adult development. This theory is
important because itis one of the only ones which suggests that
development and growth happenswell into the adult years.
His theory:
At the center of Levinson's theory is the life structure. This
is an underlyingpattern of an individual's life at any given point
in time. A person's life structure is
shaped mainly by their social and physical environment, and it
primarily involvesfamily and work. Other variables such as
religion, race, and status are oftenimportant as well.In his theory
there are two key concepts:1) the Stable Period- This is the time
when a person makes crucial choices inlife.2) the Transitional
Period- This is the end of a person's stage and thebeginning of a
new one. Life during these transitions can be either rocky
orsmooth, but the quality and significance of ones life commitments
often changebetween the beginning and end of a period.
There are 6 stages of adulthood in Levinson's theory titled
"Seasons of a Man'sLife":1) Early adult transition (17-22) - leave
adolescence, make preliminary choicesfor adult life2) Entering the
adult world (22-28) - make initial choices in love,
occupation,friendship, values, lifestyle3)Age 30 transition (28-33)
- changes occur in life structure, either a moderatechange or, more
often, a severe and stressful crisis4) Settling down (33-40) -
establish a niche in society, progress on a timetable,in both
family and career accomplishments; are expected to think and
behavelike a parent so they are facing more demanding roles and
expectations .
5) Mid-life transition (40-45) - life structure comes into
question, usually a timeof crisis in the meaning, direction, and
value of each person's life. neglectedparts of the self (talents,
desires, aspirations) seek expression. Men are seenmore as parents
than as brothers to other men who are somewhat youngerthan them and
this message comes as an irritation at first. Also at this time,
menbecoming increasingly aware of death and they are reminded of
how short lifereally is. They become involved in trying to leave a
legacy and this usually formsthe core of the second half of his
life.
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6) Entering middle adulthood (45-50) - choices must be made, a
new lifestructure formed. person must commit to new tasks.* Some
sources also stated that there was a late adulthoodstage during
whichtime a man spent time reflecting on past achievements and
regrets, and makingpeace with one's self and others (including
God).
** Daniel Levinson later went on to write a book titled Seasons
of a Woman'sLife.
Problems with Levinson's theory:Daniel Levinson collected the
data for his study many decades ago, shortly
after the Great Depression ended. Due to the time period, the
men used for thisstudy have 3 things in common:1) they come from
stable families2) they had realistic goals for their life3) became
adults in an expanding economy
Men who have grown up in the last four or five decades ,
however, have had
to deal with less stable families due to high divorce rates, and
they tend to havegoals which are much more difficult to achieve.
They have also had to deal witha fluctuating economy, and because
of these differences it is difficult to applyLevinson's studies to
today's generation.
How does this theory apply to school?Since most most sources
state that Levinson's theory begins at the age of 17
in the Early Adult Transition, there isnt any reference to how
one developsduring the school years.
How does this theory apply to society?
"AThere are a number of attitudes expressed which would appear
to have anaffect on society. Firstly, many people are making the
transition from youth toadulthood without any hope or optimism.
This says that society as a wholethroughout this age bracket is
lacking enthusiasm and drive. When men near theage of thirty, they
have new expectations in society such as to provide for
theirchildren and aging parents. They are seen more as fathers than
they werepreviously. The occurance of a culminating event in a
man's life surfaces themidlife transition stage. When this happens,
men usually become interested inacts of humanitarianism, and they
are more cautious as they come to terms withthe reality of
death.
How does this theory apply to the workplace?Once men reach the
age of thirty, or so, they are taking more senior positions
in their jobs as their focus is to provide care for their
children and their agingparents. Once a man reaches his forties, he
begins questioning, Is this all I amgoing to do for the rest of my
life?. This often causes one to drastically changetheir field of
work, an act that has come to be known as a midlife crisis. By
this
