1. Social and Personality Development in Early Adulthood
Chapter 14:
Social and Personality Development in Early Adulthood

2. In This Chapter Theories of social and personality development
Intimate relationships
Parenthood and other relationships
The role of the worker

3. Theories of Social and Personality Development Erikson
Intimacy versus Isolation Stage
Intimacy: Capacity to engage in supportive, affectionate relationship without losing one’s own sense of self
Isolation: Results from relationships that are inadequate, lack of self-disclosure, and unresolved identity crises

4. Theories of Social and Personality Development Intimacy versus Isolation Stage
Developmental task of stage is to establish intimate bonds of love and friendship
Barriers to intimacy
Supports to intimacy
Psychological conflict of early adulthood

5. Theories of Social and Personality Development Levinson
Life structures: All roles and relationships a individual occupies — and conflicts and balances that exist between them
Regards formation of intimate relationship central developmental task
Cycle through periods of stability and instability
See Figure 14.1 on page 381.
Each period of life presents adults with new developmental challenges
As adults enter a period in which a new life structure is required, there is a period of adjustment called the novice phase.
In the mid-era phase, adults become more competent at meeting the new challenges through reassessment and reorganization of the life structure they created in the novice phase.
Stability returns in the culmination phase, when adults have succeeded in creating a life structure that allows them to manage the demands of the new developmental challenges with more confidence.
Life Structures: all roles and relationships individual occupies-- and conflicts and balance that exist among them
Regards formation of intimate relationship with another adult as central developmental task of early adulthood
Cycle through periods of stability and instability
Structures: novice, mid-era, culmination

6. Figure 14.1 Levinson’s Model of Adult Development
Each stable life structure is followed by period of transition in which structure is reexamined.

7. Theories of Social and Personality Development Emerging Adulthood
Emerging adulthood: Period in which individuals experiment with options prior to taking on adult roles
Tasks
Relationships
Developmental issues
New stage proposed by Arnett
Covers ages 17-22
Must address tasks such as academic, friendship, conduct, work and romance
Push limits with family
Experiment with adult options and multiple tasks
Parts of brain governing impulse control, decision-making not yet fully mature

8. Theories of Social and Personality Development Roisman
Developmental Task Domains in Emerging Adolescence
Academic
Friendship
Conduct
Work
Romantic
Skills 1-3 transfer from adolescence to adulthood
Skills 4-5 require more adjustment
New stage proposed by Arnett
Covers ages 17-22
Must address tasks such as academic, friendship, conduct, work and romance
Push limits with family
Experiment with adult options and multiple tasks
Parts of brain governing impulse control, decision-making not yet fully mature

9. Intimate Relationships Evolutionary Theory and Mate Selection
Overview
Focus on survival value
Mating a selective process to insure survival of the species
Cross-cultural research findings
Overview
Focus on survival value
Mating a selective process to ensure survival of the species
Cross-cultural research findings
Men prefer physically attractive, younger women
Men lower their standards on the basis of availability
Women prefer men whose socio-economic status is higher than their own, and who offer earning potential and stability

10. Intimate Relationships Evolutionary Theory and Mate Selection
Parental Investment Theory (Buss et al.)
Male values
Male selection criteria
Female values
Female selection criteria
How do men and women differ in this theory?
While this talks about minimum investments, both men and women realize it takes a large investment to raise a child. Therefore, men look for younger women and women look for an economic provider.
Men value health and availability in mates
Men less selective because of minimum physical investment in conceiving or bearing offspring
Women’s investment starts with a 9 month commitment and giving birth
Men seek to maximize the number of their offspring while women seek to minimize the number of their offspring

11. Intimate Relationships Social Role Theory and Mate Selection
Reanalysis of Parental Investment Theory (Buss et al.)
Sex differences are adaptations to gender roles resulting from present-day social realities rather than from natural selection
Selections of high-income earning men and women
Homogamy or assortive mating
People are drawn by similarities in age, education, social class, ethnic group, religion, attitudes, interests, and temperament.
High-income earning women select high-income earning males to provide economic support while they raise children and take a break from their careers
Homogamy or assortive mating
People are drawn to similar others

12. Intimate Relationships Marriage
Prevalence
More than 2 million formal weddings each year
Longitudinal research suggests that most marriages endure; only 1/3 of first marriages end in divorce
Average age of marriage in 1970: 21 for males and females
Average age of marriage in early 21st century: 27 for males and 25 for females
Unmarried couples – 89% are opposite-sex partners and 11% are same sex partners.
In 2002, 8 in every 1000 adults married; 4 in every 1000 divorced. This reflects a cohort effect.

13. Intimate Relationships Bridal Stress “Disorder”
The textbook author discusses the concept of Bridal Stress “Disorder”.
What circumstances or stresses contribute to the behaviors described?
Is this another way to say “Bridezilla”?

14. Intimate Relationships Relationship Quality
Influences on marital success
Values
Personality characteristics of the partners
Attitudes towards divorce
Security of each partner’s attachment to family of origin
Lots of agreement across groups about what makes marriages work!
Parental attachment relationship contributes to the construction of an internal model of intimate relationships that children bring with them into marriage.
Values
Personality characteristics of the partners
High degree of neuroticism in one or both partners leads to dissatisfaction
Attitudes towards divorce
Couples unopposed to divorce report more dissatisfaction with marriage
The security of each partner’s attachment to his or her family of origin
Once the marriage takes place, spouses must let go of their family of origin in order to build their new family unit.
Arguments about in-laws is exceeded only by the frequency of disagreements about financial matters.

15. Figure 14.3 Ratings of Marital Success by Ethnicity
Percent of respondents saying each component is very important for a successful marriage

16. Intimate Relationships Sex Differences in Marital Impact
Males
Generally benefit more than females on measures of physical and mental health
Married men are healthier and live longer than unmarried men
Females
Married women slightly healthier than unmarried women
Unmarried women healthier and happier than unmarried men
See Figure 14.2
Women may be more psychologically sensitive to relationship negativity than men.
Women’s physiological responses to marital quality are important determinants of relationship quality.
Higher-cortisol wives are more likely to divorce.

17. Intimate Relationships Relationship Quality: Sternberg
Emotional affection contributes to relationship quality
Three key components of love
Intimacy
Passion
Commitment
See Figure 14.2
Robert Sternberg proposes 3 key components of love
Intimacy – feelings that promote closeness and connectedness
Passion – feeling of intense longing for union with the other person, including sexual union
Commitment to a particular other – over a long period of time

18. Figure 14.4 Sternberg’s Theory of Love
Sternberg’s theory postulates three components of love
Relationships can be classified according to which of three components is present

19. Relationship Quality Conflict Management
How a couple manages conflict is important!
Validating couples
Volatile couples
Avoidant couples
Validating couples
Have disagreements but rarely let them escalate
Partners express mutual respect and listen to each other
Volatile couples
Squabble a lot, don’t listen BUT
More positive than negative with high levels of laughter and affection
Avoidant couples
Conflict minimizers; agree to disagree - devitalizing

20. Intimate Relationships Couples Likely to Divorce
Hostile/engaged
Hostile/detached
Couples likely to divorce:
Hostile/engaged – frequent hot arguments with no balancing forces
Hostile/detached – fight regularly, rarely look at each other, lack affection and support

21. Intimate Relationships Consequences of Divorce
Increased physical and emotional illness
Serious economic hardships, especially for women
Disruption of sequence and timing of family roles
Strong feelings of failure, loss of self-esteem, loneliness
Divorce associated with increased physical and emotional illness—higher rates of:
Automobile accidents
Suicide
Lost days from work
Depression
Often, divorce accompanies serious economic hardships, especially for women
Divorced men improve their economic base
Divorced women have % decline in income; hardest on working-class women with low levels of education
Disruption of sequence and timing of family roles
Remarriage expands the number of years of childbearing for many divorced women

22. Intimate Relationships Cohabiting Heterosexual Couples
Cohabiters
Less satisfied when married and more likely to divorce
Less homogamous or similar to each other
Either fully committed to future marriage or ambiguous
Differences in cohabited couples include: Race, religious beliefs, educational levels, socioeconomic status.
On average, those cohabiting before marriage are:
Less satisfied with their marriages
More likely to divorce
Two types of cohabiting couples
Couples who are fully committed to a future marriage
Couples in which the relationship between partners is ambiguous

23. Intimate Relationships Cohabiting Heterosexual Couples: Teachman
Prior sexual and cohabitational histories are major factors in divorce
Cohabiting couples who intend to marry
Share work loads at home
Happier during cohabitation
May do a better job communicating
Married women whose premarital cohabitation and sexual experiences were limited to a future husband are no more likely to divorce than women who didn’t cohabit

24. Intimate Relationships Gay and Lesbian Couples: Satisfaction
Satisfaction related to
Similar backgrounds and equal relationship length commitment
Attachment security
Dissatisfaction related to
Neuroticism in one or both partners
600,000 U.S. households headed by partners of same sex

25. Intimate Relationships Gay and Lesbian Couples Differences
More dependent on each other for social support
Power and tasks are equally divided by couple
Lesbians insist on sexual exclusivity whereas gay men regard sexual fidelity as negotiable
More dependent on each other for social support
May be isolated from original family
Build families of choice – a stable partner and a circle of close friends for support
Power and tasks are equally divided by the couple
More true of lesbians than of gay couples
Lesbians insist on sexual exclusivity whereas gay men regard sexual fidelity as negotiable in most couples
Expectations for monogamy among lesbian females is more like that of heterosexuals
Gay males do not require sexual fidelity as often
Males require sex more frequently (evolutionary perspective)

26. Intimate Relationships Singlehood
Many single adults:
Prefer singlehood
Participate in intimate relationships that are not “partnered”
Maintain close relationships with families of origin and close friends
Many adults single by preference
Associated with greater autonomy and capacity for personal growth
Many adults participate in intimate relationships that do not involve cohabiting or marriage—”partnered”
Close relationships with families of origin likely to be a source of support
Close friends play prominent role in social networks
58% or adults between never married; two-third married by mid 40s
Choosing and affirming singlehood helps protect singles from the negative health consequences associated with singlehood.

27. Parenthood Overview
85% of parents cite relationship of child most fulfilling life aspect
Transition to parenthood stressful
Transition happens with other social relationships also in transition

28. Parenthood The Desire to Become a Parent
Large majority of young adults desire to be parents
More men than women desire to be parents; view parenting as life-enriching
Expectant fathers become emotionally attached to their unborn children

29. Parenthood Delaying Parenthood
Decisions to delay parenting
Enrolled in post-secondary education
Delayed marriage; believe best environment for raising children is within marriage
Underpinned by contemporary social clock
Delayed marriage
Majority believe best environment for raising children is within marriage

30. Stop and Think
What do you believe are the three greatest adjustments that new parents face? Are these adjustments short-term? Long-term?
Even emotionally healthy mothers must adapt to parenthood
New parents may argue about care-taking duties
Many are sleep-deprived
Less times for conversations, sex, simple affection or routine chores
Extended families and cultural rituals may ease the transition.

31. Parenthood Postpartum Depression
Incidence
Causes
Symptoms
Treatment
10 – 25% of new mothers
Feelings of profound sadness for several weeks after birth
More likely in women who produce large amounts of steroid hormones late in pregnancy
More likely in unplanned pregnancies
Presence of major life stressors increases the risk
Depression during pregnancy is best predictor

32. Parenthood Developmental Impact of Parenthood
Marital Satisfaction and Parenthood
Division of labor issues fuel dissatisfaction
Support from extended family helps
Effective conflict-resolution strategies established before birth
See Figure 14.3
Sensation-seeking and risky behaviors decline.
Marital satisfaction tends to decline and remain low until the last child leaves home

33. Figure 14.5 Marital Satisfaction through the Family Life Cycle
This pattern of change in marital satisfaction over the stages of the family life cycle is one of the best documented findings in family sociology research.

34. Parenthood Childlessness
Marital satisfaction fluctuates less over time
Women are more likely to have full-time continuous careers
Married men whose wives were not employed were more likely to advance
Women are more likely to have full-time continuous careers (but not necessarily advance more)

35. Parenthood Social Networks
Family
Most adults feel emotionally close to their parents and see or talk to them regularly.
Proximity influences contact.
Culture influences involvement with parents.
African Americans value family connections highly.
See Figure 14.4
Culture influences involvement with parents.
Hispanic young adults value family ties.
African Americans value family connections highly
Young adults are less likely to marry
Live in multi-generational households
Report higher levels of warmth with parents than Whites
Japanese are more connected to parents of origin than are Australian or Canadian young adults.

36. ? ?
Questions To Ponder
Are you looking forward to having children? Why or why not? What characteristics of a potential mate are most important to you? What characteristics would be problematic for you? Why? Do you have a good relationship with your parents today? How often do you talk? In what situations do you seek advice? What situations would you not discuss with your parents?

37. Other Relationships Friends
Characteristics
Similar in education, social class, interests, family background and family life cycle stage
Drawn from same age group; same sex
Important members of social network (even exclusive online)
May have more friends as young adults than later in life

38. Other Relationships Sex Differences in Relationship Styles
Women have more close friends
Women often the “kinkeeper”, correspondence, family news
Young men remain competitive with friends
Women have more close friends
More intimate
More self-disclosure
More exchange of emotional support
Women often the “kinkeeper”, correspondence, family news
Young men remain competitive with friends
Do things together

39. The Role of Worker Choosing an Occupation
Family and educational influences of occupational choice
Parent social class
Family values
Educational goals
Families who have high career aspirations for their children produce young adults who are intrinsically motivated as employees.
Family and educational influences
Choose occupations in the same social class as parents
Educational goals influence choice
Families influence choice through value systems
Valuing academic and professional achievement influences professional-level job choices
Achievement in working class families is associated with moving into middle class jobs
Parental moral beliefs influence young adults’ willingness to enter various occupations.

40. The Role of Worker Influence of Gender
Sex-role definitions still designate some jobs
Male jobs more varied, technical, and higher in status and income
Female jobs concentrated in the service industry, and offer lower status and pay
Sex-role definitions still designate some jobs as “women’s jobs” and “men’s jobs”
Male jobs are more varied, technical, and higher in status and income
Female jobs are concentrated in the service industry, and offer lower status and pay
1/3 of women hold clerical jobs
1/4 of women are in health care, teaching, or domestic service

41. The Role of Worker Personality: Holland’s Theory
Types
6 basic personality types
People whose personalities match their jobs more likely to be satisfied with their work
See Table 14.1
6 basic personality types
Each of us tend to choose and be most successful at an occupation that matches our personality
See Table 14.1 for summary of Holland’s Personality Types and Work Preference

42. The Role of Worker Career Development: Super’s Model
Stages of career development
Growth stage
Exploratory stage
Establishment stage
Maintenance stage
Growth stage—learn about one’s abilities
Exploratory stage—decide on job or career
Establishment stage—early steps on the career ladder
Maintenance stage—ends at retirement but may need to learn new skills on the job

43. Career Development Job Satisfaction
Influences
Individual personality traits
High school and college preparation related to career
Uncertainty about job security, employment market and job opportunities
At its lowest at mid-career; usually toward end of early adulthood period

44. The Role of Worker Quality of Work Life (QWL) Movement
QWL: Approach to enhancing job satisfaction by basing job and work place design on analyses of quality of employee experiences in organization
Assume happier workers are more productive
Involves innovations in how work is structured
Importance of work-life balance
Involves innovations in how work is structured
Telecommuting—connect to workplace through telephone, computer, fax
Flextime schedules
Job sharing
On-site childcare

45. The Role of Worker Sex Differences in Work Patterns
Women’s work satisfaction goes up with age
Most women move into and out of the labor market at least once during adulthood
Why does this occur?
Women’s work satisfaction goes up with age
Most women move into and out of the labor market at least once during adulthood
Bearing and rearing children is a key
However, most mothers also have work force jobs
Our culture thinks of a man as simultaneously a worker, a parent, and a spouse but has difficulty seeing a woman as all three

46. True or False?
Our culture thinks of a man as simultaneously a worker, a parent, and a spouse but has difficulty seeing a woman as all three. Do you think this will change? Why or why not? How?