Characterizing Lifespan Development of Three Aspects of Coherence in Life Narratives: A Cohort-Sequential Study

Autor/inn/en	Köber, Christin; Schmiedek, Florian; Habermas, Tilmann
Titel	Characterizing Lifespan Development of Three Aspects of Coherence in Life Narratives: A Cohort-Sequential Study
Quelle	In: Developmental Psychology, 51 (2015) 2, S.260-275 (16 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0012-1649
DOI	10.1037/a0038668
Schlagwörter	Personal Narratives; Individual Development; Age Differences; Longitudinal Studies; Adolescents; Young Adults; Older Adults; Rhetoric; Children; Cohort Analysis; Foreign Countries; Germany + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Erlebniserzählung; Individuelle Entwicklung; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Young adult; Junger Erwachsener; Älterer Erwachsener; Rhetorik; Child; Kind; Kinder; Kohortenanalyse; Ausland; Deutschland
Abstract	The ability to narrate stories and a synchronic self-concept develop in the pre- and primary school years. Life story theory proposes that both developments extend to an even later developmental stage, that is, to adolescents' acquisition of a coherent life story. Cross-sectional evidence supports the emergence of a life story in adolescence, but is mixed in terms of later life span development. The present study examines longitudinally the development of global coherence in life narratives across almost the entire life span. Starting in 2003, a total of 172 participants narrated their lives over the course of 8 years (aged 16, 20, 24, 28, 44, and 69 when last tested) resulting in up to 4 life narratives per person. Three aspects of global life narrative coherence--temporal, causal-motivational, and thematic coherence--were measured with global ratings and predicted by their respective textual indicators. Children lacked most aspects of global coherence. Almost all indicators of temporal and causal-motivational coherence increased substantially across adolescence up to early adulthood, as did thematic coherence, which continued to develop throughout middle adulthood. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01