Identity, Intimacy, and Generativity in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Test of the Psychosocial Model

Recently, there has been increasing interest in understanding generativity, defined as concern for future generations as a legacy of the self, in adolescence and young adulthood. In Erikson’s model of psychosocial development, generativity was the seventh task following identity and intimacy. Although studies to date have found links between early generative concern and identity and intimacy, few studies have examined these associations simultaneously. An examination of the unique and shared relevance of identity and intimacy to early generativity would further our understanding of Erikson’s model of psychosocial development. In this study, we report on a cross-sectional study of adolescents (N = 160) and young adults (N = 237) who completed measures of generative concern, identity style, and intimacy (represented as caregiving behaviors with friends). Results indicate that both identity and, to a lesser extent, caregiving were relevant to early generativity, with no differences between samples. These findings further support Erikson’s original theory establishing links between generativity, identity, and intimacy.