Pearlin said that adulthood is not a series of transitions, but instead is a lifetime of continuous change as required by distress. He says societies support individuals in their development by socializing them for certain events. He explains that there are similarities in life courses because many stresses are dictated by the social clock as well as the fact that individuals face similar external circumstances and stresses and that they react in similar ways to one another.
Pearlin said that there are four elements that determine the path individuals will take:
Individual Characteristics: Caucasian, female, Surgeon, went to an Ivy League school
Meredith is considered knowledgeable in her field, especially because her mother was an extraordinary general surgeon and Meredith is following in her mother's footsteps. In the face of medical emergencies it is her first instinct to act, regardless of potential harm to herself.
She has a great capacity to handle stress and to inspire others to overcome stress. She has been through so much psychological and physical distress that she just keeps going. "When there's a crisis you don't freeze, you move forward. You get the rest of us to move forward. Because you've seen worse, you've survived worse. And you know, we'll survive too."
Well liked, has a strong support system of close friends/co-workers/relatives. Her friends and family look out for her and she looks out for them. They make sure that everyone is safe and keep them all in one piece.
Meredith's unstable childhood gave her the ability at a young age to be independent and self-sufficient. By the time she reaches young adulthood she is able to handle an extraordinary amount of psychological distress without being incapacitated.