1. BECOMING AN ADULT
Unit 2 – Chapter 4

2. The Transition to Adulthood
Becoming an adult is a process
This process begins in childhood and continues until you are an adult:
in your own eyes
in the eyes of your parents
by the law
by the society you live in

3. The Transition to Adulthood
An individual’s development is a gradual process
It is marked by distinct and significant milestones
Ex. Puberty, graduation, getting your driver’s licence, marriage and adulthood
Rites of Passage: rituals that celebrate an individual’s passage from one stage of life to the next
Stages of life are not the same in all societies

4. 4 Stages of the Hindu Life Cycle
Brahmacharya
youth
begins at about age 10 and lasts for about 10 years
before this stage, a Hindu child is not considered to be fully formed yet
primary expectations of the individual is to remain celibate and become educated, particularly in religious matters

5. 4 Stages of the Hindu Life Cycle
Grihastha
marked by marriage
Hindu men and women are expected to raise and care for their family and do what is economically necessary to ensure their children prosper

6. 4 Stages of the Hindu Life Cycle
Vanaprastha
means service
once the children have reached the 2nd Stage, Hindu parents enter this 3rd Stage
individuals are expected to focus more on religious beliefs and rituals and begin to separate themselves from their families
gradually give away their material wealth and possessions to prepare for the next stage

7. 4 Stages of the Hindu Life Cycle
Sannyasa
retirement
some Hindus may live as religious sadhus (holy men) and sadhvi (holy women) depending on the charity of others in the community
live without any personal attachment to family or friends
This cycle repeats for their children generation after generation

8. The Pace of Development
Progress from one stage of life to another has been described as the interaction of several clocks, each ticking away at its own pace
The age of majority reflects the chronological clock and defines adulthood in terms of the number of years since birth
The physical changes that result in sexual maturity and the attainment of full adult size and strength are determined by the biological clock

9. The Pace of Development
The psychological clock reflects how the brain is developing as individuals acquire new mental processes and more mature ways of understanding the world
The social clock sets the timetable for society’s expectations concerning when certain events should occur in the lives of individuals
Becoming an adult is probably determined more by the social clock than by any other

10. Developmental Theories
Identify patterns of life to describe growth or changes in human behaviour as individuals mature
Created by analyzing the behaviour of large groups of individuals over a long time
Data is gathered by using questionnaires to determine overall patterns of behaviour and interviews to determine how individuals describe their motivation and feelings about their behaviour

11. Erik Erikson
1st psychologist to describe predictable stages of human development from childhood through adulthood
Developed 8 stages in which an individual’s identity emerges and matures
Each stage represents a conflict, in which the person is challenged by new situations and circumstances in life

12. Erik Erikson
Individuals are pushed through the stages by their biological clock and by the social clock of the society in which they live
Identity development reflects the progress of the psychological clock
By resolving each conflict at each stage, the individual acquires the basic strength needed to meet the challenges of the next stage in life
Failure to resolve the conflict results in difficulties the individual will face later in life

13. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 1 Ages: Infancy (birth – 18 months) Basic Conflict: Trust vs. Mistrust Important Event: Feeding Outcome: Children develop a sense of trust when caregivers provide reliability, care, and affection. A lack of this will lead to mistrust.

14. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 2 Ages: Early childhood (18 months – 3 years) Basic Conflict: Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt Important Event: Toilet Training Outcome: Children need to develop a sense of personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence. Success leads to feelings of autonomy, failure results in feelings of shame and doubt.

15. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 3 Ages: Preschool (3 – 6 years) Basic Conflict: Initiative vs. Guilt Important Event: Exploration Outcome: Children need to begin asserting control and power over the environment. Success in this stage leads to a sense of purpose. Children who try to exert too much power experience disapproval, resulting in a sense of guilt.

16. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 4 Ages: School age (6 – 12 years) Basic Conflict: Industry vs. Inferiority Important Event: School Outcome: Children need to cope with new social and academic demands. Success leads to a sense of competence, while failure results in feelings of inferiority.

17. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 5 Ages: Adolescence (12 – 18 years) Basic Conflict: Identity vs. Role Confusion Important Event: Social Relationships Outcome: Teens need to develop a sense of self and personal identity. Success leads to an ability to stay true to yourself, while failure leads to role confusion and a weak sense of self.

18. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 6 Ages: Young Adulthood (18 – 40 years) Basic Conflict: Intimacy vs. Isolation Important Event: Relationships Outcome: Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in loneliness and isolation.

19. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 7 Ages: Middle Adulthood (40 – 65 years) Basic Conflict: Generativity vs. Stagnation Important Event: Work and Parenthood Outcome: Adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them, often by having children or creating a positive change that benefits other people. Success leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment, while failure results in shallow involvement in the world.

20. Erik Erikson’s 8 Psychosocial Stages of Development
Stage 8 Ages: Maturity (65 years – death) Basic Conflict: Ego Integrity vs. Despair Important Event: Reflection on Life Outcome: Older adults need to look back on life and feel a sense of fulfillment. Success at this stage leads to feelings of wisdom, while failure results in regret, bitterness, and despair.

21. Jane Loevinger’s Theory of Ego Development
Psychologist
Identified stages in the formation of the ego, meaning the understanding of self
Ego development begins in infancy with the understanding you are an individual separate from your mother
Full ego development is having an autonomous self, being a self-reliant person who accepts oneself and others as multifaceted and unique

22. Jane Loevinger’s Theory of Ego Development
3 Stages of the Adolescent and Emerging Adult:
Conformist Stage: adolescents view life in simple stereotypical ways to classify human experience so they can see where they belong in society
Self-Aware Stage: young adults begin to understand and accept individual differences to distinguish different feelings and opinions that make people unique
Conscientious Stage: individuals are able to appreciate others as individuals in reciprocal relationships

23. Jane Loevinger’s Theory of Ego Development
Understanding of self is the centre of human development
Stages are determined by an individual’s psychological clock
Few adults ever achieve full ego development, but strive toward that goal for a lifetime

24. The Family Life Cycle Framework
Early adulthood is a stage in which individuals are launched from their families of origin
Parents and children must separate from one another so that young adults can be self-sufficient for themselves prior to forming a new family

25. The Family Life Cycle Framework
Young adults must master 3 tasks to become self-sufficient adults
Individuation – forming an identity separate from that of their family origin
Develop new intimate relationships with peers outside the family to provide the social and emotional support they need
Commit to a career or workplace role

26. The Family Life Cycle Framework
How do parents help their children become self-sufficient?
Relationship between parent and child must become less hierarchical so the young adult can accept responsibility for their decisions
Parents must accept differences in opinion and decisions the young adult makes
Parents must accept that the child is forming new intimate relationships with others which will become the new primary relationship

27. The Family Life Cycle Framework
Limitation:
Focuses on early adulthood in relation to marriage and parenthood
In the mid-20th century, when the theory was developed, most Canadians married and had children
Although this is not the trend today, research shows it is still the expectation for most Canadians

28. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Psychologist
Proposed that the life course evolves through seasons lasting about 25 years each
The era of early adulthood lasts 25 years, begins near the end of high school at 17 years old until middle age in the early 40’s

29. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Early Adult Transition - 17 to 22 years old
an individual must leave behind adolescent life and begin to prepare an adult life structure (the plan or design of an individual’s life)
separation from the family of origin, emotional not physical separation
modify or end relationships associated with an adolescent life to make way for new adult relationships
complete education and/or start work
make some preliminary plans for adult life

30. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Entering The Adult World - 22 to 28 years old
time for building one’s life structure
4 Major Tasks of this period
Forming a Dream and giving it a place in the life structure
Forming mentor relationships
Forming an occupation
Forming love relationships, marriage and family

31. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Entering The Adult World
Dream: the individual’s sense of self in the adult world and is the core of the life structure
Nature of the Dream will vary, but most describe some combination of occupational, family and community roles
A Dream can be precise or mythical

32. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Entering The Adult World
Choices of occupation, love relationships and peer relationships may support the Dream
Many individuals develop relationships with mentors who support their Dreams and facilitate their progress

33. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Entering The Adult World
Young adults build and test a preliminary life structure that integrates work, love and community to attain their Dreams
The challenge is to balance the creative exploration of various options for their life structure with a desire to make a commitment to a life structure that supports their Dream

34. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Entering The Adult World
The problem is that until individuals begin to live out the life structure, they do not know all of the possibilities
Yet without some commitment to the choices they have made, it is not possible to determine whether the life structure might be realistic or satisfying

35. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Age 30 Transition - 28 to 33 years old
Individuals re-evaluate the life structures that they formed in their early twenties to determine whether they are living out their dreams
Inner voice: “If I am to change my life-if there are things in it that I want to modify or exclude, or things missing I want to add-I must now make a start, for soon it will be too late”

36. Daniel Levinson’s Theory of the Seasons of Life
Age 30 Transition
As individuals adjust their life structures, individuals might choose to marry or to get a divorce, to have children, or to change jobs at this time
Time to “get real,” after testing their early choices for a few years before settling down in their s