The Impact of Personality of Stagnation and Generativity on Lifestyle: An Empirical View to Erikson's Developmental Psychology Theory In Lifespan Psychology

The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality characteristics of stagnation and generativity, and healthy lifestyle. Descriptive study of correlation type has been implemented. The sample consisted of 300 staff (154 females, and 146 males) of education ministry offices in Tehran who were selected by cluster sampling. To evaluate personality characteristics and healthy lifestyle, Bradley Based Stagnation Scale (BBS), Loyola Generativity Scale (LGS), and Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II) were used. To analyze data, Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analysis were run. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between personality characteristics and healthy lifestyle. Stagnation had a negative relationship and generativity had a positive relationship with healthy lifestyle. Total score of healthy lifestyle were predicted by stagnation (negatively) and generativity (positively). The results of the study in the grounds of health promoting models and personality characteristics models emphasized the importance of developmental approach in lifestyle’s elements had been interpreted. In summary, different elements of lifestyle were constructed in the ground of psychosocial development and in the direct relation with personality characteristics. Future researches can study the role and importance of developmental approach in constructing and changing of the behaviors of lifestyle.