Social and Personality Development in Early Adulthood Chapter 14:

IN THIS CHAPTER Theories of Social and Personality Development Intimate RelationshipsParenthood and Other RelationshipsThe Role of the Worker

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 14.1 What did Erikson mean when he described early adulthood as a crisis of intimacy versus isolation? 14.2 What is a life structure, and how does it change? 14.3 What are the characteristics of emerging adulthood? 14.4 What factors do evolutionary and social role theorists emphasize in their theories of mate selection? 14.5 How do marriage and divorce affect the lives of young adults? 14.6 What factors contribute to the relationship between premarital cohabitation and divorce? 14.7 In what ways are gay and lesbian couples similar to and different from heterosexual couples?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES (cont.) 14.8 How do singles accomplish Erikson’s psychosocial developmental task of intimacy? 14.9 What happens during the transition to parenthood? How are family and friends important to young adults? What factors influence an individual’s occupational choices? How do career goals and job satisfaction change over time? What are some of the innovations that are associated with the quality of work–life movement? In what way do women’s work patterns differ from those of men?

THEORIES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT Erikson Intimacy versus Isolation Stage Intimacy: the capacity to engage in supportive, affectionate relationships without losing one’s own sense of self Isolation results from relationships that are inadequate—that feature a lack of self-disclosure— and from unresolved identity crises.

THEORIES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT Intimacy versus Isolation Stage The developmental task of this stage is to establish intimate bonds of love and friendship. Barriers to intimacy Supports to intimacy

THEORIES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT Levinson Life structures: all roles and relationships an individual occupies—and the conflicts and balances that exist between them Regards formation of intimate relationships as the central developmental task Cycle through periods of stability and instability

LEVINSON’S MODEL OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT Each stable life structure is followed by period of transition in which structure is reexamined. Figure 14.1 Levinson’s Model of Adult Development

THEORIES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT Emerging Adulthood Emerging adulthood: a period in which individuals experiment with options prior to taking on adult roles Tasks Relationships Developmental issues

THEORIES OF SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT Roisman Developmental Task Domains in Emerging Adolescence 1.Academic 2.Friendship 3.Conduct 4.Work 5.Romantic Skills 1–3 transfer from adolescence to adulthood Skills 4–5 require more adjustment

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Evolutionary Theory and Mate Selection Overview Focus on survival value Mating is a selective process designed to ensure the survival of the species. Cross-cultural research findings

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Evolutionary Theory and Mate Selection Parental Investment Theory (Buss et al.) Male values Male selection criteria Female values Female selection criteria How do men and women differ in this theory?

HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION IN THE UNITED STATES Figure 14.2 Household Composition in the United States

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Social Role Theory and Mate Selection Reanalysis of Parental Investment Theory (Buss et al.) Sex differences are adaptations to gender roles resulting from present-day social realities rather than from natural selection. Selections of high-income earning men and women Homogamy or assortive mating

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Marriage Prevalence More than 2 million formal weddings take place each year. Longitudinal research suggests that most marriages endure; only one-third of first marriages end in divorce.

WEDDING STRESS MANAGEMENT Getting marriage is one of life’s most stressful event. The best approach to managing wedding-related stress is one that balances problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping involves managing the actual source of stress. Emotion-focused coping has to do with managing emotional responses to current or potential stressors.

You Decide Decide which of these two statements you most agree with and think about how you would defend your position: 1.A wedding marks one of the most important events in a person’s life; thus it is worth whatever it costs both financially and psychologically. 2.It is foolish to spend thousands of dollars on an event that usually lasts only a few hours, and such spending takes funds away from the couple’s financial goals: buying their first home, for example.

SEX DIFFERENCES IN THE IMPACT OF MARRIAGE Males Generally benefit more than females on measures of physical and mental health Married men are healthier and live longer than unmarried men. Females Married women are slightly healthier than unmarried women. Unmarried women are healthier and happier than unmarried men. What role does cortisol play in these findings?

Critical Analysis 1.In your view, what is it about marriage that causes spouses to follow better health practices than their single counterparts? 2.Aside from women’s sensitivity to relationship negativity, what are some possible reasons for the finding that the psychological benefits of marriage are greater among men than they are among women?

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Relationship Quality Influences on Marital Success Values  Personality characteristics of the partners  Attitudes towards divorce  Security of each partner’s attachment to family of origin There is lots of agreement across groups about what makes marriages work!

RATING COMPONENTS OF MARITAL SUCCESS, BY RACE AND ETHNICITY Figure 14.3 Rating Components of Marital Success, by Race and Ethnicity

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Relationship Quality: Sternberg Emotional affection contributes to relationship quality. Three key components of love  Intimacy  Passion  Commitment

STERNBERG’S THEORY OF LOVE Sternberg’s theory postulates three components of love: passion, intimacy, and commitment. Relationships can be classified according to which of the three components is present. Figure 14.4 Sternberg’s Theory of Love

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Consequences of Divorce Consequences Increased physical and emotional illness Serious economic hardships, especially for women Disruption of sequence and timing of family roles Strong feelings of failure, loss of self-esteem, and loneliness

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Cohabiting Heterosexual Couples Cohabiters Less satisfied when married and more likely to divorce Less homogamous or similar to each other Either fully committed to future marriage or ambiguous

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Cohabiting Heterosexual Couples: Teachman Prior sexual and cohabitational histories are major factors in divorce. Cohabiting couples who intend to marry:  Share work loads at home  Happier during cohabitation  May do a better job communicating

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Gay and Lesbian Couples: Satisfaction Satisfaction is related to: Similar backgrounds and equal relationship length commitment Attachment security Dissatisfaction is related to: Neuroticism in one or both partners

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Gay and Lesbian Couples: Differences Differences More dependent on each other for social support Power and tasks are equally divided by couple. Lesbians typically insist on sexual exclusivity, whereas gay men frequently regard sexual fidelity as negotiable.

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS Singlehood Many single adults: Prefer singlehood Participate in intimate relationships that are not “partnered” Maintain close relationships with families of origin and close friends

PARENTHOOD Overview Eighty-five percent of parents cite their relationships with their children as the most fulfilling aspect of their lives. The transition to parenthood is stressful. That transition happens with other social relationships also in transition.

PARENTHOOD The Desire to Become a Parent A large majority of young adults desire to be parents. More men than women desire to be parents; people view parenting as life-enriching. Expectant fathers become emotionally attached to their unborn children.

PARENTHOOD Delaying Parenthood Decisions to Delay Parenting Enrolled in post-secondary education Delayed marriage; believe that the best environment for raising children is within marriage Underpinned by contemporary social clock

STOP AND THINK What do you believe are the three greatest adjustments that new parents face? Are these adjustments short term? Long term?

PARENTHOOD Postpartum Depression Incidence Causes Symptoms Treatment

PARENTHOOD Developmental Impact of Parenthood Marital Satisfaction and Parenthood Division of labor issues fuel dissatisfaction. Support from extended family helps. Effective conflict-resolution strategies must be established before birth.

PARENTHOOD Childlessness Marital satisfaction fluctuates less over time. Women are more likely to have full-time, continuous careers. Married men whose wives were not employed were more likely to advance.

PARENTHOOD Social Networks Family Most adults feel emotionally close to their parents and see or talk to them regularly.  Proximity influences contact.  Culture influences involvement with parents.  African Americans value family connections highly.

OTHER RELATIONSHIPS Friends Characteristics Similar in education, social class, interests, family background and family life cycle stage Drawn from same age group; same sex Important members of social network (even exclusive online)

OTHER RELATIONSHIPS Sex Differences in Relationship Styles Women Women have more close friends. Women are often the “kinkeepers,” handling correspondence and family news. Men Young men remain competitive with friends.

THE ROLE OF WORKER Choosing an Occupation Family and Educational Influences on Occupational Choice Parent social class Family values Educational goals

THE ROLE OF WORKER Influence of Gender Sex-role definitions still designate some jobs. Male jobs are more varied, technical, and higher in status and income. Female jobs are concentrated in the service industry, and offer lower status and pay.

THE ROLE OF WORKER Personality: Holland’s Theory Types Six basic personality types People whose personalities match their jobs are more likely to be satisfied with their work.

HOLLAND’S PERSONALITY TYPES AND WORK PREFERENCES

THE ROLE OF WORKER Career Development: Super’s Model Stages of Career Development

CAREER DEVELOPMENT Job Satisfaction Influences Individual personality traits High school and college preparation related to career Uncertainty about job security, the employment market, and job opportunities

THE ROLE OF WORKER Quality of Work Life (QWL) Movement QWL Approach to enhancing job satisfaction by basing job and workplace design on analyses of the quality of employee experiences in organizations Assumes that happier workers are more productive Involves innovations in how work is structured

THE ROLE OF WORKER Sex Differences in Work Patterns Women’s work satisfaction goes up with age. Most women move into and out of the labor market at least once during adulthood. Why does this occur?

TRUE OR FALSE? Our culture thinks of a man as simultaneously a worker, a parent, and a spouse but has difficulty seeing a woman as all three. Do you think this will change? Why or why not? How?

STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH CONFLICT BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY LIFE The need to balance work and family roles is one of the major themes of young adults’ lives. Cognitive Restructuring Recasting or reframing to identify positive elements Redefining family roles Engaging in good planning and organization

Reflection 1.How do you think Ramona should approach her husband about sharing responsibility for taking care of their son when he is ill? 2.What are some ways that young adults can cope with the pressure to “do it all”?