Young Adulthood

1. Young Adulthood Psychosocial Development

2. PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT • Normative-stage models: • a definite sequence of age-related changes. • Timing-of-events model: • a response to the expected or unexpected occurrence and timing of important life events. • Trait models: • mental, emotional, temperamental, and behavioral traits, or attributes. • Typological models: • identify broad personality types, or styles.

3. Erikson: Intimacy versus Isolation • Make commitments to others or face a possible sense of isolation and consequent self-absorption. • Virtue: Love: a mutual devotion between partners who have chosen to share their lives, have children, and help those children achieve their own healthy development. • Who is left out?

4. Timing of Events Model • When is the best time to... • Normative life events: • commonly expected life experiences that occur at customary times. Also called normative age-graded events. • On time: Referring to events that happen when expected. • Off time: Referring to events that happen earlier or later than usual. • Social clock: Set of cultural norms or expectations for the times of life when certain important events, such as marriage, parenthood, entry into work, and retirement, should occur.

5. Trait model: Five factors • Five-factor model: Theoretical model, developed and tested by Costa and McCrae, based on the “Big Five” factors underlying clusters of related personality traits: • Openness to experience • Conscientiousness • Extraversion • Agreeableness • Neuroticism

6. Typological models • Typological approach: • personality as a functioning whole that affects and reflects attitudes, values, behavior, and social interactions. • Ego-resiliency: Adaptability under potential sources of stress. • Ego-control: Self-control. • Ego-resilient: Referring to people who are well adjusted, confident, and task-focused. • Overcontrolled: Referring to people who are shy, quiet, anxious, and who withdraw from conflict. • Undercontrolled: Referring to people who are active, energetic, impulsive, stubborn, and distractible. • Trajectories: Long-term patterns of behavior.

7. Integration of personality theories • Basic tendencies: Personality traits, physical health, appearance, gender, sexual orientation, intelligence, and artistic abilities. • External influences: Environmental influences. • Characteristic adaptations: Social roles, attitudes, interests, skills, activities, habits, and beliefs. • Self-concept: One’s idea of self. • Objective biography: The events of a person’s life. • Dynamic processes: Processes that promote change, such as learning.

8. Relationships • Friendship • What makes a best friend? • How much contact must be involved? • Can you have friends who are no longer involved in your life due to loss of contact? • What are the characteristics of those you are likely to become close to? • Are there gender differences?

9. Love • What constitutes falling in love? • How have your views about this changed as you have matured? • Can love be described or broken down into its individual elements? If so, what are they? • What behavioral, emotional, and cognitive changes do you see as "evidence" of falling in love? • What contributes to staying in love?

10. Sternberg (Table 14-2 p. 522) • Triangular theory of love: patterns of love hinge on the balance among three elements: intimacy, passion, and commitment. • Intimacy: Emotional element of love, involving self-disclosure, which leads to connection, warmth and trust. • Passion: Motivational element of love, based on inner drives that translate physiological arousal into sexual desire. • Commitment: The cognitive element of love, the decision to love and stay with the beloved.

11. Attitudes re: Sexuality • Reproductive: Attitude concerning sex that sex is permissible only for reproductive purposes within marriage. • Recreational: Attitude concerning sex that whatever feels good and doesn’t hurt anyone is fine. • Relational: Attitude that sex should be accompanied by love or affection, but not necessarily marriage.

12. Cohabitation • Stages of cultural acceptance: • Fringe>practice marriage>alternative to marriage>same as marriage • More than half US couples lived together before marriage • Less stable and satisfying than marriage • Those who eventually marry have unhappier marriages and greater likelihood of divorce • However, women who cohabitated or had sex with only their future husband had no special risk of divorce

13. Marriage • Why get married? • List five reasons why to get married and five reasons why not to get married.

14. Successful marriage • Happiness with the relationship • Sensitivity to each other • Validation of the other’s feelings • Communication and conflict management skills • Reasons given for divorce • Incompatibility • Lack of emotional support • Spousal abuse

15. Gay and Lesbian relationships • Long-term relationships common in societies accepting of them • Factors predicting quality and stability same for hetero and homosexual couples: • Psychological adjustment • Personality traits • Perceptions of equality • Conflict resolution • Social support

16. Parenthood • How do you think parenthood affects adult development? • How does it affect the couple’s relationship? • What factors may be involved in adjustment to parenthood?

17. Risk factors for divorce • Marriage at early age • Parents are divorced • Having a child prior to marriage • Having no children or having stepchildren • Poverty • Unemployment for male