Investigated life history of American career women (N=24) at midlife. The transitions experienced by these women during their lifetimes were categorized into "masculine" or "feminine" types. It was found that they were distributed about equally between the two types of transitions, thus excluding a simple biological approach.…

Considers question of shifts in artistic and literary style from lifespan developmental perspective, focusing on change during midlife. Using Samuel Beckett as example, demonstrates relationship between his abrupt shift to playwriting and his entrance into midlife. Notes that theories of lifespan personality development suggest parallels between…