Abstract

Each culture holds shared knowledge regarding the timing and sequence of major life transitions. This study constructed a list of normative life events in Korean society—referred to as “cultural life scripts”—based on responses from Korean adults aged 20 to 60, and addressed the following research questions. First, the degree of alignment between the cultural life script and individuals’ personal life stories was defined as life normativity, and its relationship with psychological well-being was examined. Second, the study investigated whether the alignment between the age at which individuals experienced normative life events and the socially expected age predicted psychological well-being. Third, cultural life scripts were constructed by age groups, and the association between life normativity and well-being was explored across these groups. The findings revealed that cultural life scripts include events that reflect culturally specific experiences in Korea, such as college entrance exams and job preparation. Life normativity was positively associated with life satisfaction and the presence of meaning, but not with the search for meaning or psychological richness. Subsequently, only those who experienced normative life events earlier than the socially expected age showed a significant association with life satisfaction, such that the earlier the events occurred, the lower their life satisfaction. Additionally, cultural life scripts revealed age-specific normative life events unique to each age group. Notably, life normativity among individuals in their 30s was significantly associated with multiple dimensions of psychological well-being, whereas other age groups showed associations with fewer dimensions. Based on these findings, the study discusses its implications, differences in results across age groups, and suggestions for future research.