Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Humanities, Psychology and Social Sciences
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Changing Anxiety and Generativity Awareness: Based on a Survey in the COVID-19 Pandemic
Yuriko Isada
ABSTRACT:
This paper presents the findings of an internet-based questionnaire survey investigating generativity awareness and anxiety within the Japanese population. The study involved 1,000 Japanese participants, both male and female, aged 35 years or older. Surveys were administered twice: once during the period of the spread of the COVID-19 infection and once towards the end of the disease conducted in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research aimed to explore how the generativity awareness of Japanese individuals evolved amidst significant societal shifts triggered by the COVID-19 crisis and the rapid advancement of AI technology in the workplace. Utilizing factor analysis, the study identified a four-factor structure: ‘Nurturing and passing on the next generation’, ‘Personal growth and fulfilment’, ‘Thirst for creativity’, ‘De-self-centred attitude’, underlying generativity awareness. Self-anxiety tends to decrease with age, while next-generation anxiety, on the contrary, increases with age. Generativity awareness tends to increase with age, as does next-generation anxiety. Results of analysis indicated a profound association between generativity awareness and self-anxiety, highlighting the pivotal role of resolving personal anxieties. Furthermore, the study revealed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both anxiety levels and generativity awareness, with a notable increase in anxiety observed, particularly among female respondents.
keywords: The Epigenetic Chart in Erikson’s Theory, generativity awareness, anxiety, COVID-19