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Keeping the faith: Psychosocial correlates of activism persistence into middle adulthood

Journal of Youth and Adolescence volume 10, pages 507–523 (1981)Cite this article

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine certain ideological, personological, lifestyle, and familial correlates of activism persistence into middle adulthood. Almost 15 years following their arrest for participation in the Free Speech Movement, 30 former Berkeley activists responded to a political activity scale and measures selected to tap variables in each of the contextual domains. Although persisters did not differ from nonpersisters with respect to most lifestyle dimensions, they were distinguished by more radical beliefs, stronger repudiation of Protestant ethic values, and a stronger family legacy of social concern. The results provide more support for theories of activists' adult development based on notions of generational continuity, rather than generational rebellion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Associate Professor of Psychology, Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis

    Stephen I. Abramowitz & Alberta J. Nassi

Authors
  1. Stephen I. Abramowitz
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  2. Alberta J. Nassi
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received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Major interests are politics and personality and politics and clinical psychology.

Received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. Major interests are adult development and health psychology.

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Abramowitz, S.I., Nassi, A.J. Keeping the faith: Psychosocial correlates of activism persistence into middle adulthood. J Youth Adolescence 10, 507–523 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087943

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02087943

Keywords

  • Health Psychology
  • School Psychology
  • Political Activity
  • Activity Scale
  • Free Speech