Daniel Levinson
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Daniel J. Levinson | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | April 12, 1994 | (aged 73)
Occupation | Psychologist |
Known for | Positive adult development |
Daniel J. Levinson (May 28, 1920 – April 12, 1994), a psychologist, was one of the founders of the field of positive adult development. Levinson is most well known for his theory of stage-crisis view, however he also made major contributions to the fields of behavioral, social, and developmental psychology. His interest in the social sciences began with studies on personality and authoritarianism, and eventually progressed to studies on development.[1] Greatly influenced by the work of Erik Erikson, Elliott Jaques, and Bernice Neugarten, his stage-crisis view sought to incorporate all aspects of adult development in order to establish a more holistic approach to understanding the life cycle. In doing so, Levinson discussed the various developmental tasks and/or crises that one must address within each stage as well as how they contribute to the progression of development.[2][3] Although much controversy surrounds his research methods, Levinson interviewed both men and women to uncover concrete patterns that occur within similar age ranges. Through these studies, he determined that men and women essentially progress through the same cycle of life, however they differentiate in what he refers to as "The Dream". He published his findings and theory within his two major books, The Seasons of a Man's Life and The Seasons of a Woman's Life; both of which remain as influential publications within the field of psychology.[4] Being both simple in nature and open to further investigation, Daniel Levinson's legacy and lasting contributions are mainly to theory and entail profound implications for social as well as behavioral psychology.[1]
Professional life
Daniel Levinson was born on May 28, 1920, in New York City, New York. He began his studies of the social sciences at the
Levinson further advanced his academic career at Yale University from 1966 to 1990.
Research & Theory
Stage-crisis view
Levinson created his theory of
Theory of men and women
Levinson believed that the main difference between men and women was “The Dream,” which refers to one’s vision for his or her future life, including goals and desires.[4] Based on findings from his interviews with men and women, Levinson argued that men and women form different types of dreams for their lives: men typically dream about occupation, while women, who have more trouble forming their dreams, are torn between dreams of occupation and dreams of marriage and family.[4]
Personality
Levinson’s studies on personality began with his first publication in 1950 entitled “
Accomplishments
Major contributions
Levinson's two most prominent publications were his series of books entitled, The Seasons of a Man's Life (with Maria H. Levinson, Charlotte N. Darrow, Edward B. Klein and Braxton McKee) and The Seasons of a Woman's Life. Although controversy surrounds his publications, both books remain promising and highly influential within the field of psychology. His book, The Seasons of Man's Life contains his most well-known theory as well: the stage-crisis view. Throughout this theory, he encompasses a multidisciplinary approach which has allowed him to contribute greatly to the understanding of the entirety of life cycle. The Seasons of a Man's Life was the first to be published, whereby he continued follow-up studies on women and their development throughout the life cycle.[1] Levinson died before completion, however his wife Judy Levinson continued his studies which were ultimately described in his second book of the series, The Seasons of a Woman's Life.[5]
Publications
- Levinson, D. J., with Darrow, C. N, Klein, E. B. & Levinson, M. (1978). Seasons of a Man's Life. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-40694-X
- Levinson, D. J., with Levinson, J. D. (1996). Seasons of a Woman's Life. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-394-53235-X
- Levinson, D. J. (1986) A conception of adult development. American Psychologist, 4, pp. 3–13. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.41.1.3.
- Levinson, D. J. (1959). Role, personality, and social structure in the organizational setting. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 58, pp. 170–180.
- Levinson, D. J. (1977). The mid-life transition: A period in adult psychosocial development. Journal for the Study of Interpersonal Processes, 40, pp. 99–112.
- Adorno, T. W., Frenkel-Brunswik, E., Levinson, D. J., & Sanford, R. (1950). The Authoritarian Personality. Oxford, England: Harpers.
Legacy
Daniel Levinson died on April 12, 1994, in New Haven, Connecticut. Throughout his lifetime, he conducted various studies by which he made lasting contributions to both the study of development and personality. Although most well known for his stage-crisis theory of development and life structure, his studies on personality and social structure entailed many implications for both behavioral and social psychology as well. While conducting his personality studies at Harvard, he received a National Institute of Mental Health Career Investor grant and 10 years later, upon leaving Harvard, he received a Career Development Award as well. Together these awards gave him an opportunity to continue his research at Yale, which ultimately led to his work on adult development. While his stage-crisis theory remains a controversial one, his book The Seasons of a Man’s Life endures as an important contribution to the understanding of the human life cycle. Due to his broad range of influence and simple ideas, Levinson’s legacy lies mainly in his theory.[1]
References
- ^ .
- ^ a b Berger, Kathleen Stassen (2014). Invitation to the Lifespan (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
- ^ Levinson, D. J. (1986) A conception of adult development. American Psychologist, 4, pp. 3-13. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.41.1.3.
- ^ a b c d Brown, Patricica Leigh (14 September 1987). "Studying Seasons of a Woman's Life". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ^ a b "Daniel Levinson, 73, who wrote of men reacting to midlife". The New York Times. The New York Times. April 14, 1994. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
- ^ ISBN 0-345-33901-0.
- ^ Adorno, T. W., Frenkel-Brunswik, E., Levinson, D. J., & Sanford, R. (1950). The Authoritatian Personality. Oxford, England: Harpers.
- ^ a b Levinson, D. J. (1959). Role, personality, and social structure in the organizational setting. The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 58, pp. 170-180.