The timing of major life events: Effects of departing from the social clock

It is widely believed that social norms govern the timing of major life events, such that events experienced off time are considerably more stressful than events experienced on time. Experiencing life events either earlier or later than one's peers presumably reduces opportunities for social support and may also invite social disapproval. Relatively few empirical studies have investigated these ideas, however, and those that have suffer from several limitations. The present study made use of a general population survey to investigate the effects of normative versus nonnormative timing of major life events on psychological functioning, interpersonal resources, and interpersonal tensions. Desirable and undesirable events were examined separately, as were the effects of departures from perceived versus statistical age norms. The results of the study offered only limited support for social clock theory. Implications for further research and for the relevance of the theory in a less age-differentiated society are discussed.