The Normative Interpretation of Life Course Event Histories

ABSTRACT Marini (1984) argues that “a normative model of the life course, which assumes a normative life pattern and focuses on the role of norms in shaping the timing and sequencing of major life events, should not be adopted as a general paradigm for research.” This challenge to the normative explanation of sequencing and timing of life events has largely gone unanswered. Hogan and Astone (1986) suggest that Marini confuses levels of analysis but they do not elaborate their argument. Although Marini's challenge has remained unanswered, researchers continue to interpret aggregate data as an expression of normative culture (e.g., Bumpass and Sweet, 1990). The present paper argues that there are specific constructs for the concept of social norm appropriate for each level of analysis. Marini's argument depends on the use of only the group level construct of social norm and a failure to recognize constructs appropriate for the other levels of analysis used in the study of the timing and sequencing of events.