1. Work, Leisure, and Retirement

2. Traditional age-differentiated structure Education – Work – Leisure Education – Work – Leisure Now age-integrated Now age-integrated Education Education –Lifelong learning –Gain adaptive knowledge and skills Train for new occupation Train for new occupation Understand technology Understand technology Develop retirement, liesure role Develop retirement, liesure role

3. Work Careers Careers Choice of Vocation Choice of Vocation Influences? Influences?

4. Family Family Opportunities (SES, occupational status) Opportunities (SES, occupational status) Socialization (values) Socialization (values) Mothers employment status (women) Mothers employment status (women) Early work experiences (attitudes) Early work experiences (attitudes) University experiences University experiences

5. Interest/Work Match Hollands Person-Environment Fit Model Hollands Person-Environment Fit Model personality characteristics and success in occupation personality characteristics and success in occupation moderate but significant relationship moderate but significant relationship stable throughout adulthood stable throughout adulthood

6. Contextual Factors Contextual Factors Marital/Family commitments Marital/Family commitments Economy Economy

7. Donald Super: Stages in career planning Crystallization: vague, general Crystallization: vague, general –Early adolescence Specification: being focus Specification: being focus –Late adolescence/university Implementation: try outs Implementation: try outs –Young adults Establishment Establishment

8. Super: stages Consolidation Consolidation Maintenance Maintenance Deceleration Deceleration Retirement Retirement

9. Career Development Early Career early professional socialization early professional socialization forming a dream (Daniel Levinson) forming a dream (Daniel Levinson) goal expectation goal expectation career satisfaction (intrinsic, extrinsic factors) career satisfaction (intrinsic, extrinsic factors) reality shock and mentorship reality shock and mentorship –self ethic vs. work ethic focus on quality of own work (control) focus on quality of own work (control) reduced loyalty, commitment reduced loyalty, commitment

10. Middle Career settling down taking stock of dream taking stock of dream increased autonomy increased autonomy Spillover effects: Spillover effects: –Multiple roles (enhancement, stress) –positive, negative –job strain and stress (high demand, low control) –decreased immune function –poor health habits –mental health (depression, anxiety)

11. Women and Minorities occupational segregation (service/clerical) occupational segregation (service/clerical) lower income lower income dual career, dual earner couples dual career, dual earner couples underrepresentation in managerial/professional positions underrepresentation in managerial/professional positions

13. Late Career and Retirement Normative life event in recent history Normative life event in recent history Retirement in popular culture? Retirement in popular culture? –Valid images? –Why?

14. Decision to retire Adequate retirement benefits (financial security) Adequate retirement benefits (financial security) Leisure interests Leisure interests Spouse retiring Spouse retiring Declining health Declining health Routine, boring job Routine, boring job Low work commitment Low work commitment

16. Retirement: Modern Phenomenon 1900: 68% over 65 working 1900: 68% over 65 working 1960: 30% 1960: 30% 1985: 16% (1/2 = part time) 1985: 16% (1/2 = part time)

17. Why the shift? Personal resources Personal resources –Previous: work until death/disability no safety net no safety net Retirement requires: Retirement requires: –Productive economy –Public/private pension First government pension: Germany, 1889 First government pension: Germany, 1889 –Retirement age: 65 –Lower life expectancy

18. Canada Pension Plan 1930s 1930s Response to growing unemployment and poverty among elderly Response to growing unemployment and poverty among elderly –Cheap labour (immigration) –Displacement (technology) –Great Depression –Age discrimination Pension Plans: employment incentive Pension Plans: employment incentive

19. Retirement as a Life Stage Not poverty Not poverty Addresses problem of youth unemployment Addresses problem of youth unemployment Leisure for elderly Leisure for elderly

20. Impact of Retirement Adjustment Adjustment Atchley (1976): Stage Model Atchley (1976): Stage Model –Honeymoon –Disenchantment –Reorientation –Termination Much individual difference Much individual difference Bridge jobs Bridge jobs

21. Adjustment Crisis Theory Crisis Theory –Retirement correlates with loss of Health Health Status Status Self esteem Self esteem –But supporting research did not control for pre-retirement characteristics

22. Adjustment Continuity Theory Continuity Theory –Identity based on more than work –Attitudes, activities changed minimally after retirement

23. General Characteristics of Adaptation Individual variation in responses Individual variation in responses Coping ability depends on previous coping skills, perceptions (challenge vs. threat) Coping ability depends on previous coping skills, perceptions (challenge vs. threat) Adaptation easier when: Adaptation easier when: –Voluntary vs. forced retirement –Change is minimized (bridge job) –Transition is gradual Personal resources critical (income, health, social support, high occupation level) Personal resources critical (income, health, social support, high occupation level)

24. Busy Ethic Idealization and expectation of retired life Idealization and expectation of retired life –Retirement manages socially, morally Authority from Work Ethic Authority from Work Ethic –Therapeutic value of activity Encourages habit of engagement Encourages habit of engagement –Continuous with general cultural prescriptions for adulthood –Legitimates leisure of retirement

25. Busy Ethic –Defends retired people against judgments of senescence –Gives definition to retirement role –Helps individuals adapt to retirement –Adapts retirement to prevailing societal norms