-
-
Autor*innen: Köber, Christin; Schmiedek, Florian; Habermas, Tilmann
Titel: Characterizing lifespan development of three aspects of coherence in life narratives. A cohort-sequential study
In: Developmental Psychology, 51 (2015) 2, S. 260-275
DOI: 10.1037/a0038668
URN: urn:nbn:de:0111-dipfdocs-165574
URL: http://www.dipfdocs.de/volltexte/2019/16557/pdf/2015_Schmiedek_Characterizing_lifespan_development_neu_A.pdf
Dokumenttyp: 3a. Beiträge in begutachteten Zeitschriften; Aufsatz (keine besondere Kategorie)
Sprache: Englisch
Schlagwörter: Autobiografie; Biografie; Entwicklung; Erinnerung; Erzählen; Identität; Junger Erwachsener; Kind; Längsschnittuntersuchung
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. (DIPF/Orig.)
DIPF-Abteilung: Bildung und Entwicklung