1. Psychology Chapter 5
Adulthood

2. Adulthood Early adulthood: 20-40 years of age
Reassessment, “age 30 transition”
Marriage and Intimate relationships
in the U.S. 90% of people get married
The median age is for men, and 21-25
for women
-- about 2% are interracial, 90% of married couples are the same religion

3. Divorce: about half of the marriages in the U.S. end in divorce- 52%
Divorced people have higher rates of physical and psych. Disorders
Depression, Substance abuse

4. Levinson’s Theory of Male Development
Early Adult Transition at age 17
age 22 to age 28 a young man is considered, both by himself and by society, to be entering the adult world
between 28 and 30 are often a major transitional period
Age Thirty Transition, during which the tentative commitments made in the first life structure are reexamined

5. 33-year-old man now begins concentrating on what Levinson calls “making it” in the adult world
36 and 40, near the end of the Settling Down structure, there is a distinctive feeling of “becoming one’s own man.” - fully independent
age 40, the era of early adulthood comes to an end and the Midlife Transition begins - “midlife crisis.”
late 40s and the Entering Middle Adulthood structure, true adulthood can be achieved

6. a successful “Midlife Transition” is accompanied by the man’s becoming a mentor to a younger person
Generativity : Erikson means the desire to use one’s wisdom to guide future generations
Stagnation : Instead of looking forward, adults may choose to hang on to the past
evidence does not support a midlife crisis for women. In fact, women may be facing difficulties earlier in adulthood

7. Middle adulthood 40-65 years of age
Transition, people’s perspectives change in a major way
“last chance” to do certain things
2nd period of reassessment – “midlife crisis”

8. Empty nest syndrome: feelings of loss and emptiness when children leave home
Many adults report that they are happier in their marriages
For some it is a time of increased freedom

9. Late Adulthood Age 65 marks the beginning of late adulthood
Programmed Theories: our cells only divide and repair themselves so many times
Cellular Damage theories: cells malfunction as a result of damage, not heredity
Rate of Living theory, Free radicals theory, Cross-linking theory, Wear and tear theory

10. Senile Dementia: occurs after age 65
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning
Alzheimer’s Disease: progressive form of mental deterioration
Affects 10% of people over 65
Nearly half of those over 85

11. Death and Dying Gerontology: ageing and older people
Thanatology: death and dying
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross: 5 stages dying people pass
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance

12. Critics of Kubler-Ross
Camille Wortman: argues that Kübler-Ross’s stages may simply identify the five most common styles of dealing with death, with no need to progress through stages
Edwin Shneidman: dying is unique to the individual person

13. In 1900 the average life span was less than 50 years, and most people died at home
In 2010 Americans live on average to be 78 and they die in nursing homes and hospitals
3 biggest fears of Terminally Ill-
Loss of mastery over themselves
Separation from loved ones
Being replaced by another

14. Euthanasia: Greek for easy death
Mercy killings, legal in five (5) states: California, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington
The Funeral
Traditional way to acknowledge someone has died
Seen as a way to say good-bye
Bereavement: mourning over someone who has been taken away
Sadness, loneliness, numbness, anger, and relief

15. Dealing with Grief
John Bowlby established a framework for understanding how people tend to deal with grief, based on attachment
first stage of grief is shock and numbness
yearning and searching, the grieving person tends to withdraw from others, perhaps asking questions about life and death and yearning for the loved one that was lost
disorientation and disorganization that many people consider true grieving person may become depressed and the loss of their loved one becomes especially real in their minds

16. reorganization and resolution stage : loved one finally gets over the isolating sadness of losing their loved one
The more attached someone is to a loved one who dies, the more difficulty they may have grieving the loss of that person , especially true for spouses and children !