WOMENS PERSONALITY IN MIDDLE-AGE - GENDER, HISTORY, AND MIDCOURSE CORRECTIONS

This article examines several key features of the course of adult deve lopment in the cohort of women born during the baby boom. By focusing on the women in this group and comparing their experience with that of older cohorts and research on men, the authors demonstrate the need f or models of aging that take account of the intersections of history, gender; and individual development. Concepts proposed as universal fea tures of middle age (midlife crisis, generativity, aging), as well as those proposed as specific to women (empty nest, menopause) are examin ed. Perhaps most important, certain features not commonly viewed as pa rticularly important in women's middle aging (midlife review identity, confident power) are shown to be central. The need for further resear ch examining these same processes among men and different groups of wo men is underscored.