Gender and generativity issues in parenting: Do fathers benefit more than mothers from involvement in child care activities?

This study explored fatherhood from an Eriksonian development perspective a nd proposed parenting as a key stimulus for fathers' societal generativity. The aims of the study were to examine (1) whether parental generativity (g reater time spent in child care activities and higher levels of psychologic al involvement in the role of parenting) was related to higher levels of so cietal generativity in fathers, (2) which kinds of child care activities we re related to the development of societal generativity in fathers, and (3) whether the same relationships applied to mothers. A total of 134, predomin antly White, middle class, Australian cohabitating parents completed questi onnaires. Results indicated that parental generativity was related to fathe r's societal generativity but not to mothers. However, particular child car e activities that promoted children's social-emotional development were rel ated to fathers' societal generativity, whereas activities that promoted ch ildren's academic-intellectual development were related to mother's societa l generativity.