Adult Years

1
Adult Years
2
Functions of marriage for society

• Inheritance rights
• Structured economic partnership
• Regulating sexual behavior
• Childrearing

3
Cohabitation

• When cohabitating couples marry, they have a
  greater risk of divorce than those couples who
  did not cohabitate.
• Many believe long term commitment not necessary
  for living arrangement
• Not a substitute for marriage

4
Marital satisfaction

• Satisfied couples have
• Closeness
• Individual independence
• The Prophet
• Couples who have a good marriage believe the
  marriage enhances themselves as individuals.

5
Gottmans research predicting marital
dissatisfaction

• Facial expressions of disgust or fear
• Defensiveness
• Expressions of contempt

6
Gottmans best predictor of marital satisfaction

• Moments of support, kindness, passion mutual
  pleasure far outweigh moments of disgust,
  criticism, defensiveness and anger

7
Sexual satisfaction within marriage

• Frequency
• Mutuality in initiating sex
• Frequency for orgasm among women
• Compared with Kinseys research
• Men and women now have a wider repertoire of
  sexual behavior

8
Extramarital sex (nonconsensual)

• Reasons for
• Wanting to expand emotionally or sexually
• Unavailability of sex within the marriage
• Way to begin ending a marriage
• Other factors
• Symptom of a disintegrating marriage
• May cause marital breakups
• Other serious consequences for both participant
  and spouse

9
Divorce

• Increasing due to
• Reduction in social stigma attached to divorce
• Increased economic independence of women
• Liberalization of divorce laws
• Emotional impact
• Similar to a death of a spouse

10
Most frequently cited reason for divorce

• For men Communication difficulties
• For women communication difficulties

11
High divorce rates with second marriages related
to

• Less willingness to stick around when things get
  rough

12
Factors influencing sexual activity in later years

• Need for affection and sexual intimacy continues
  into older years
• Physical health
• Medications
• In elderly may effect sexual desire and function
• Regularity of sexual expression
• Sexual activity levels in early adulthood

13
Aging and hormone Replacement therapy