Temporal and status dimensions of life cycles.

An alternative approach to the life cycle is developed which avoids the creation of monolithic age categories and exclusive reliance upon the unidimensional index of chronological age. An age status graph is constructed by intersecting age with a status dimension. Using a card sort technique, age norms of status transition for family and work are ascertained. These data exemplify the potential utility of age status graphing in understanding the life cycle. The methodological strengths of operationalizing variables, explicitness of criteria, and conceptual flexibility are discussed.