1. Development Through the Lifespan
Chapter 14
Emotional and Social
Development in
Early Adulthood
This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:
Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;
Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images;
Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

2. Erikson’s Theory: Intimacy versus Isolation
Making a permanent commitment to a life partner
Other close relationships: friends, work
Involves giving up some newfound independence, redefining identity
Isolation
Loneliness, self-absorption
Hesitate to form close ties
Fear of losing identity

3. Levinson’s Early Adult Season
Early adult transition
Dream
Mentor
Early adulthood life structure
Men: “settling down”
Women: continued instability,
more roles
Age 30 transition
Reevaluate life structure
Often focus on underdeveloped aspects

4. Vaillant’s Adaptation to Life
20s – intimacy concerns
30s – career consolidation
40s – generative
50s–60s – “keepers of meaning”
70s – spiritual and reflective

5. Social Clock Age-graded expectations for life events
Less rigid than in earlier generations
Following a social clock lends confidence, contributes to social stability
Distress if not following or falling behind

6. Selecting a Mate Physical proximity
Most select partners who are similar
Gender differences
Women: intelligence, ambition, financials
Men: attractiveness, domestic skills

7. Triangular Theory of Love
Three components:
Intimacy
Passion
Commitment
Passionate love early; companionate love later
Passion gradually fades while intimacy, commitment grow
Cultural differences

8. Friendships in Early Adulthood
Friends usually similar, share common interests
Same-sex friendships
Gender differences
Individual differences
Other-sex friendships
Fewer, shorter-lasting than same-sex
Benefits to both genders
Sexual attraction regulated
Siblings as friends

9. Loneliness and Emotional Distress at Different Ages

10. Traditional and Egalitarian Marriages
Traditional – clear division of roles
Woman: cares for husband, children, home
Man: head of household, economic support
Egalitarian – partners relate as equals
Share authority
Balance attention to jobs, children, home, spouse

11. Gender Differences in Marital Satisfaction
Men: Just being married improves physical and mental health
Attachment, belonging, social support
Women: Relationship quality is important
Overwhelming demands of many roles cause dissatisfaction

12. Assaults Against Women by Intimate Partners

13. Trends in Having Children
Fewer married couples have children
70%
Have first child later
Smaller numbers of children
Average less than 2

14. Transition to Parenthood
Many profound changes
Roles often become more traditional
Marriage can be strained
Problems before children predict problems after
Sharing care predicts happiness
Later parenthood eases transition

15. How Many Children? Fewer children today Advantages of small families:
Mothers’ careers
Divorce
Advantages of small families:
Enhances parent-child interaction
Marital satisfaction
Healthier, higher IQ children
Large families can work if parents well-educated, higher SES

16. Singlehood Increasing Gender Differences Ethnic Differences
30% males, 20% females ages never married; 8-10% single for life
Divorce adds numbers
Gender Differences
Women more likely to stay single
More high SES women, low SES men single
Ethnic Differences
African Americans single longer
Stressful periods
Late 20s
mid 30s for women

17. Increases in Cohabitation

18. Divorce and Remarriage
Half of U.S., 1/3 Canadian marriages end in divorce; most involve children
Communication problems, individual histories predict divorce
Immediate distress, anxiety, then search
for new identity, new partner
New partner more important to men
Remarriages vulnerable
Reasons for marriage
Negative patterns
View divorce as acceptable resolution
Stepfamily stress

19. Options in Parenthood Childlessness Step Parenting Single parents
Divorced
Never married
Gay and Lesbian Parents

20. Career Development in Early Adulthood
Disappointment near start of career common
Many job changes in 20s
Settle in after evaluation and adjustment
Adjust expectations to opportunities to advance
Few opportunities, more work disengagement
Self-efficacy, mentoring affect adjustment, success
Gender and Ethnic Differences
Racial bias

21. Women’s Career Development
More often discontinuous
Leave for child-rearing, family care
More often in low-paying, low-advancement jobs
Work-family balance challenging
Higher level career,
fewer family obligations
Dual-earner marriages
Role overload