Chapter 6: The Adult in Society Case Study: The Opt-Out Revolution Section 1: Early and Middle Adulthood Section 2: The World of Work Section 3: The Later Years Simulation: Applying What You’ve Learned

Case Study: The Opt-Out Revolution New York Times journalist Lisa Belkin discussed the phenomenon of high-achieving women who left the workplace in order to be stay-at-home moms. Although the research was informal and based on a population not representative of all women, her article showed an intriguing trend. Many women are choosing to spend their days raising their children instead of pursuing career goals. In addition to the pull of family, one sociologist found that mixed messages from husbands and employers often push women from the workplace.

Case Study: The Opt-Out Revolution In Japan, you have a growing number of Hikikomori, these are people, mainly men, who haven’t participated in society, or shown a desire to do so, for at least a year. They instead rely on their parents to take care of them. “The longer the hikikomori remain apart from society, the more aware they become of their social failure, they lose whatever self-esteem and confidence they had, and the prospect of leaving home becomes ever more terrifying. Locking themselves in their room makes them feel ‘safe’.”

Section 1 at a Glance Early and Middle Adulthood In American society, adult stages of development are experienced differently by men and women. Every adult has a life structure that is characterized by a combination of statuses, roles, activities, goals, values, beliefs, and life circumstances. Daniel Levinson developed a theory of adult male development based on three main eras: early, middle, and late adulthood. The stages of adult female development are heavily influenced by marriage, work, family, and raising children.

What if being an adult doesn't answer all of life's questions?

Adult Male Development Life Structure The combination of statuses, roles, activities, goals, values, beliefs, and life circumstances that characterize an individual Life structures show common patterns across many social groups Includes early, middle, and late adulthood Early Adulthood Ages 17 through 22 Going to college or getting a job Transition into the adult world Expected to explore opportunities as well as make commitments The Age 30 Transition Ages 28 through 32 Crucial because lives often change direction here Ends the novice phase, when men prepare to enter full adulthood

The Midlife Transition Settling Down Ages 33 through 39 Major task is achieving success Try to establish themselves in society, usually through occupational advancement Commit to things that are important to them Separation from mentors in order to define own identity Mentor – fosters a person’s development by believing in them and helping them achieve their dreams The Midlife Transition Ages 40 through 44 A bridge between early and middle adulthood Questioning of life structures Major goal is to escape the pressure of unattainable dreams from youth Becoming a mentor can lessen the stress associated with this stage The degree of difficulty that an individual experiences in a period depends on his success in mastering the previous period.

Adult Female Development Similarities with Men Levinson: Go through basically the same stages of adult development, but great difference in social roles and identities Frieze and Sales: Three phases specific to women Leaving the Family Physical and psychological break from family Developing a life plan May value marriage over work Entering the Adult World Most become mothers in their 20s Dual roles of motherhood and career cause added strain A break in employment for childbearing can limit career Re-entering the World of Work Occurs when children reach school age Commitment to career at same time husband is doubting his career

Section 2 at a Glance The World of Work American workers often spend nearly 50 years in the labor force, making the world of work one of the most important components of adult life. The composition of the labor force and the nature of work has changed greatly over the last 100 years. According to opinion polls and social science research, most Americans report being satisfied with their jobs.

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The Labor Force Work Labor Force Work involves performing all of the tasks necessary to produce goods and provide services that meet human needs. The basis for the economy Typical individual will spend about 50 years in the labor force Labor Force All individuals age 16 and older who are employed in paid positions or who are seeking paid employment. People who are not paid for their labor are part of the informal economy. In 2007, 66 percent of U.S. population over age 16 was in the labor force.

Composition of Labor Force Recent decades have seen increase in number of working women Women hold just over half of professional jobs—high-status occupations that require specialized skills and knowledge obtained through formal education Fastest growing minority group, Hispanics, are increasing in labor force, too Occupations

Unemployment Unemployment occurs when a person does not have a job but is actively seeking employment Unemployment rate is the percentage of the civilian labor force that is unemployed but actively seeking employment Unemployment rate varies across social groups Five percent unemployment considered acceptable in the United States Rate as of January 2019 is 4%. Rate in October 2009 was 10.2% after the financial crisis

The Changing Nature of Work 35 percent worked in agriculture 45 percent worked in manufacturing 20 percent worked in professions, management, office work, and sales In 1950: Manufacturing dominated Today: 13 percent work in agriculture and manufacturing 76 percent work in professions, management, office work, and sales Globalization New technology has changed the economy. Many manufacturing jobs have been outsourced, or sent to countries where labor is less expensive.

Job Satisfaction Opinion polls Factors for satisfaction 42 percent said they were “very satisfied” with their jobs. 38 percent said they were “somewhat satisfied.” 2018 research I found shows around 51% job satisfaction. Factors for satisfaction Interesting nature of their work Salary Working hours Workplace safety Relations with co-workers Factors for dissatisfaction On-the-job stress Retirement and insurance benefits Salary Recognition Chances for promotion Job and career changes Changing jobs and/or careers is a well-established pattern in the United States Average worker changes companies nine times, careers five to six times

Section 3 at a Glance The Later Years Social development continues throughout adulthood and well into the final stages of life. People age 65 and older make up the fastest growing segment of the world’s population. Older Americans face many challenges, including physical and mental decline, dependency, and death. For many aging Americans, retirement opens up a new world full of freedom and new opportunities for growth and change.

Why are seventy-somethings braving frostbite and altitude sickness to conquer Earth's highest peak?

Changes in Late Adulthood Statistics Age 65 and older: 11 percent of U.S. population in 1980; over 12 percent in 2000; projected to be 20 percent by 2030 Gerontology is the scientific study of aging. Social gerontology is the study of the nonphysical aspects of aging. Young-old Ages 65 through 74 Middle-old Ages 75 through 84 Old-old Ages 85 and older

Adjustment to Retirement Retirement involves loss of role and status associated with a particular job as well as with being a working adult. Some are greatly bothered by this loss; others rank it as low stress. Factors such as income, health, social networks, and identity affect a person’s adjustment to retirement. Loss of independence can have negative consequences. One study of Shell Oil workers found workers who retire at age 55 are 89% more likely to die during the 10 years after retirement than workers who retire at 65. Another study showed that the risk of becoming clinically depressed rises by 40% after retirement. One theory is that the sudden stop to a lifetime of work leads to physical and psychological factors that could make one more likely to get sick.

Adjustment to Retirement Often after retirement, people go through stages of depression, boredom, they get far less active (which often leads to health problems), or they feel a loss of purpose or drive. Sportswriter Frank DeFord – died the same month he retired. Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz – died hours before his final comic strip was published. College football coach Paul William “Bear” Bryant – died 37 days after coaching his last game. Retirement seems to hit men much harder than women.

Physical and Mental Functioning Aging involves the weakening and slowing of body processes. Intellectual ability declines very little. Alzheimer’s disease is a leading form of dementia. Dealing with Dependency and Death Dependency is the shift from being an independent adult to being dependent on others for physical or financial assistance. Most elderly people fear dependency, and it is known to cause stress in parent-child relationships.

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New Opportunities Retirement is often accompanied by a feeling of freedom. Free time to try new things, travel, attend college, pursue activities such as crafts, golf, or gardening, or become politically active Begin second or volunteer career Individuals who have planned for retirement have a better position to take advantage of the opportunities in this period of life. Financial planning Broadening one’s interests Developing hobbies Taking care of one’s health

Current Research in Sociology Challenging Stereotypes about the Aging According to popular wisdom, as people grow older, they grow more rigid in their habits and more conservative in their social and political thinking. But is this true? Stereotypes about older people becoming more conservative have been proven inaccurate by studies. In fact, older people grow more liberal on many subjects. One possible explanation is that as society has become less conservative about topics such as race relations or premarital sex, the difference is more noticeable in older respondents. Results show that people’s attitudes grow and change throughout their lives. –