Young Adulthood

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Young Adulthood

• Psychosocial Development

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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

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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.

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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 Ones idea of self.
• Objective biography The events of a persons
  life.
• Dynamic processes Processes that promote change,
  such as learning.

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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?

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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?

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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.

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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 doesnt hurt anyone is
  fine.
• Relational Attitude that sex should be
  accompanied by love or affection, but not
  necessarily marriage.

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Cohabitation

• Stages of cultural acceptance
• Fringegtpractice marriagegtalternative to
  marriagegtsame 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

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Marriage

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

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Successful marriage

• Happiness with the relationship
• Sensitivity to each other
• Validation of the others feelings
• Communication and conflict management skills
• Reasons given for divorce
• Incompatibility
• Lack of emotional support
• Spousal abuse

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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

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Parenthood

• How do you think parenthood affects adult
  development?
• How does it affect the couples relationship?
• What factors may be involved in adjustment to
  parenthood?

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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