Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Volgograd State University

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Educational Psychologist, MEI “Nursery School no. 368”

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Abstract. The article presents the theoretical analysis of temporal and event norms of life course in the context of foreign approach, called “timing”. Timing includes normative characteristics of the time when key life events occur and their content and order of realization at different stages of life. In the basis of the theory, timing is the assertion that the same life event can have a completely different effect on a person’s life depending on the time when they occurred. It is proved that following to normative life schedules plays important role in building the subjective image of life course and influences social well-being and satisfaction with life. The modern transformations of the regulatory characteristics of life course inherent in postmodern society are analyzed. They include the diffusion of regulatory trajectories, the variable nature of life schedules, destandardization of life course. In conclusion the phenomenon of individualization of life course is discussed.

Key words: life course, age norms, timing, life schedules, social clock, individualization of life course.