1. Emotional and Social Development in Early Adulthood
Chapter 14
Emotional and Social Development in Early Adulthood

2. Emerging Adulthood
The transition to adult roles has become so delayed and prolonged that it has spawned a new transitional period extending from the late teens to the mid-to late-twenties, called emerging adulthood.
Exposure to multiple viewpoints also encourages development of a more complex self – concept that includes awareness of their own changing traits and values over time
These changes contributes to advances in identity.

3. Erikson’s Theory Intimacy versus Isolation
In Erikson’s theory, young adults must resolve conflict of intimacy versus isolation as they form close relationship with a partner
The negative outcome is loneliness and self-absorption
Erikson believed that successful resolution of intimacy versus isolation prepares the individual for the middle adulthood stage, which focuses on generativity

4. Young people explore alternatives in education, work, and personal values and behavior more intensely than they did as teenagers
Emerging Adulthood

5. Identity Development in Emerging Adulthood
Young people refine their approach to constructing identity during their college years
Besides weighing multiple possibilities, they also explore in depth evaluating existing commitments
For example, young people may take some courses from different disciplines in order to make a decision on which major to pursue

6. Take a Moment to consider your own Path
Reflect on the various career options you considered. What lead you to your current thinking about your future professional plans?

7. Religion in Emerging Adulthood
Religious practice decreases in late teens and twenties: 1 in 4 U.S to 29-year-olds unaffiliated with a particular faith
Religion remains more important to U.S. young people than in other developed nations

8. Cultural Change, Cultural Variation, and Emerging Adulthood
Entry-level positions in many fields require more education than in the past, prompting many people to seek higher education
Wealthy nations with longer-living cohort populations have no pressing need for young people labor
In industrialized nations, most families can provide financial support
Individuals from low-income families do not finish high school, and therefore they are academically not prepared for college. Additionally, people from low-income families might not have access to vocational training.

9. Fostering Success in Emerging Adulthood
Cognitive attributes-
There is the need for effective planning and decision making
There is the need to gather information
There is the need for good school performance
There is the need for knowledge of vocational options and necessary skills
Emotional and social attributes
Positive self-esteem
Good emotional self-regulation and flexible coping strategies
Good conflict resolution skills
Confidence in one’s ability to reach one’s goal
Sense of personal responsibility for outcomes
Persistence and effective use of time
Healthy identity development
Strong moral character
Sense of meaning and purpose in life
Desire to contribute meaningfully to one’s community

10. Fostering Success in Emerging Adulthood
Social Supports
Positive relationships with parents, peers, teachers, and mentors
Financial assistance from parents and others
Sense of connection to social institutions such as schools, churches, workplace, and community center

11. Erikson’s Theory: Intimacy versus Isolation
Making a permanent commitment to intimate partner
Isolation
Loneliness, self- absorption
State of searching

12. Levinson’s Seasons of Life
Levinson found that during the transition to early adulthood, most young people constructed a dream, an image of themselves in the adult world that guides their decision making
For men, the dream usually emphasized achievement in a career, whereas most career oriented women had “split dreams” involving both marriage and career
Young adults also formed a relationship with a mentor who facilitated realization of their dream
Around age 30, young people who had been preoccupied with career and were single usually focused on finding a life partner and women who had emphasized marriage and family often develop more individualistic goals

13. Vaillant’s Adaptation to Life
Individuals in their 20’s focus on intimacy concerns
Men turn to career consolidation in their 30’s
During their 40’s men become more generative
In their 50’s and 60’s they become “keepers of meaning” or guardians of their culture, expressing a deep need to preserve and pass on cultural traditions by teaching others what they have learned from life experience
Finally in their 70’s, the men became more spiritual and reflective

14. The Social Clock
The social clock refers to age graded expectations for major life events, such as beginning a first job, getting married, birth of the first child, buying a home, and retiring.
Following a social clock lends confidence, contributes to social stability
Distress if not following or falling behind

15. Selecting a Mate Most select partners similar to themselves
Gender differences:
Women: intelligence, ambition, financial status, and moral character
Men: attractiveness and domestic skills
According to the evolutionary perspective because their capacity to reproduce is limited, women seek a mate with traits such as earning power and emotional commitment that help ensure children’s survival and well-being
Social learning view-gender roles profoundly influence criteria for mate selection
Higher value placed on attributes that contribute to relationship satisfaction

16. Childhood Attachment Patterns and Adult Romantic Relationships
Attachment History
Working Model
Adult Relationships
Secure
Comfortable with intimacy; unafraid of abandonment
Trust, happiness, friendship
Avoidant
Emphasize independence, mistrust, anxiety about closeness
Jealousy, emotional distance, little physical pleasure, unrealistic beliefs
Resistant
Seek quick love, complete merging
Jealousy, desperation, emotional highs and lows

17. Triangular Theory of Love
Intimacy: warm, tender concern Passionate love: sexual attraction Companionate love: affection and caregiving Passionate love early, companionate love later Passion gradually fades, while intimacy and commitment strengthen
Triangular Theory of Love

18. Friendships in Early Adulthood
Friends are usually similar in age, sex, and SES Friends enhance self-esteem, make life more interesting Trust, intimacy, loyalty continue to be important in adult friendships Contributions of social media such as Facebook helps in making more friends Siblings as friends

19. Family Life Cycle Early adulthood: Middle adulthood: Late adulthood:
Leaving home
Joining of families in marriage
Parenthood
Middle adulthood:
Launching children
Late adulthood:
Retirement
Death of spouse

20. Leaving Home Average age of leaving increased over last 50 years
Financial dependence is a factor
More than 50% leave, then return briefly
Culture, SES, ethnicity affect ability to leave, interest in leaving
Parents highly committed to helping young people move into adult roles

21. Trends in Marriage Marrying later 70% marry at least once
Fewer marriages
Staying single, cohabiting, not remarrying after divorce
Trend toward legalization of same-sex marriage

22. Traditional and Egalitarian Marriages
Clear division of roles
Woman: cares for husband, children, home
Man: head of household; responsible for economic well-being
Egalitarian
Partners as equals
Share power, authority
Balance in attention to jobs, children, home, spouse
Most well-educated women expect this form of marriage

23. Factors Related to Marital Satisfaction
Family backgrounds Age at marriage Timing of first pregnancy Relationship to extended family Marital patterns in extended family Financial and employment status Family responsibilities Personality characteristics Positive biases of partner’s attributes
Check the chart on page 383.
What are the aspects of each factor that
contribute to marital satisfaction?
LOOK IT UP!

24. Partner Abuse
Committed by both men and women, but women are more likely to be seriously injured
Violence–remorse cycles common, related to:
Personality
Developmental history
Family circumstances
Culture
Existing treatments not very effective; need whole-family approach, services for men

25. Trends in Having Children
In United States, fewer married couples have children (70%) Delay having first child Decline in family size: U.S. average of 2.1 children per woman

26. Decision to Have Children
Advantages
Warmth, affection
Stimulation, fun
Growth, learning experiences
Carry on legacy
Sense of accomplishment
Disadvantages
Loss of freedom
Role overload
Financial strain
Impinge on woman’s career

27. Transition to Parenthood
Parental roles
Often become more traditional with first birth
With second birth, pull back from traditional roles
Typically mild decline in relationship satisfaction; sharing caregiving predicts happiness
Later parenthood eases transition
Attainment of occupational goals
More life experience
Stronger relationship

28. Parenting With young children: With adolescents:
Effective parents work together as co-parenting team
Challenges: few social supports, hard to find child care
With adolescents:
Brings sharp changes
Challenges: negotiation of roles, dip in family life satisfaction

29. Parent Education
Parenting books, magazines, websites Social networks, media, especially for mothers Classes

30. Singlehood Increasing: 8%–10% remain single for life
Gender differences:
Women more likely to stay single
More well-educated women, uneducated men single after age 30
Ethnic differences: African Americans single longer

31. Cohabitation
Increase in unmarried, sexually intimate couples living together
Preparation for marriage vs. alternative to marriage:
In Western Europe, cohabiters nearly as committed as married people
U.S. couples who cohabit before engagement more likely to divorce
Homosexual cohabiters report strong relationship commitment

32. Childlessness Involuntary No parenthood partner Infertile
May be dissatisfied
Voluntary
Usually college-educated and committed to prestigious jobs

33. Divorce Rates
Divorce rates have stabilized since 1980s In United States, about 45% of marriages dissolve Most divorces occur within the first seven years of marriage and involve young children and adolescents

34. Causes and Factors in Divorce
Ineffective problem solving Separate lives Major problems: infidelity, money issues, substance abuse Background factors: age, religion, prior divorce, family background Socio-economic status Gender roles, expectations

35. Consequences of Divorce
Major change in life and self-image
Opportunities for positive and negative outcomes
Immediate consequences generally subside in two years
Disrupted social networks
Decline in social support
Increased anxiety, depression, impulsivity
Traditional women and noncustodial fathers may have more problems
New partner enhances life satisfaction
More crucial for men

36. Remarriage after Divorce
Most remarry within four years of divorce
Men sooner than women
Vulnerable to breakup:
Too focused on practical matters
Carry over negative interaction patterns
More likely to view divorce as acceptable resolution
Stepfamily stress
Takes three to five years to blend new family
Education, couples/family counseling can help

37. Varied Styles of Parenthood
Stepparents Never-married single parents Gay and lesbian parents

38. Stepparents
Stepmothers experience more parent–child conflict Stepfathers with children establish positive bonds faster Relationship quality varies widely Higher divorce rate for remarried couples with stepchildren

39. Never-Married Single Parents
Affects about 11% of U.S. children
Predominantly African-American women: reliance on extended family
Increased financial hardship for low-SES women
Paternal involvement
Reliability of biological father
Stepfather–stepchild relationships

40. Gay and Lesbian Parents
20%–35% of lesbians, 5%–15% of gay men Children of heterosexual past relationships, adoption, or assisted reproduction Children do not differ from peers cognitively or socially May build “families of choice” Stigma is a major concern

41. Career Development in Early Adulthood
Disappointment near start of career is common
National economy affects career paths
Many job changes in twenties
Adjust expectations to opportunities to advance
Effective mentors enhance adjustment and success

42. Challenges to Women’s Career Development
Discontinuous career paths: leave for child rearing, family care Gender gap in salary affected by college major choice Low self-efficacy for male-dominated fields Gender stereotyping Few mentoring opportunities

43. Ethnic Minorities’ Career Development
Racial bias in workplace remains strong
Harder to find a job
Harder to improve employability
Ethnic minority women face combined gender and racial discrimination
Successful women have a high sense of self-efficacy

44. Work–Family Balance
Dual-earner marriages are common; most have children Role overload Workplace supports: time-flexible policies Effective balancing benefits both home and work life