Chapter 14:

Social and Personality Development in Early Adulthood

In This Chapter

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

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

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

Figure 14.1 Levinson’s Model of Adult Development

Each stable life structure is followed by period of transition in which structure is reexamined.

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

Theories of Social and Personality Development

Roisman

Developmental Task Domains in Emerging Adolescence

1. Academic

2. Friendship

3. Conduct

4. Work

5. Romantic

• Skills 1-3 transfer from adolescence to adulthood

• Skills 4-5 require more adjustment

Intimate RelationshipsEvolutionary Theory and Mate Selection

Overview Focus on survival value

Mating a selective process to insure survival of the species

Cross-cultural research findings

Intimate RelationshipsEvolutionary 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?

Intimate RelationshipsSocial 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

Intimate RelationshipsMarriage

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

Intimate RelationshipsBridal 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”?

Intimate RelationshipsRelationship 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!

Figure 14.3 Ratings of Marital Success by Ethnicity

Intimate RelationshipsSex 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

Intimate RelationshipsRelationship Quality: Sternberg

Emotional affection contributes to relationship quality

Three key components of love Intimacy Passion Commitment

Figure 14.4 Sternberg’s Theory of Love

Relationship QualityConflict Management

How a couple manages conflict is important!

Intimate RelationshipsCouples Likely to Divorce

Couples likely to divorce: Hostile/engaged

Hostile/detached

Intimate RelationshipsConsequences of Divorce

Consequences 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

Intimate RelationshipsCohabiting 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

Intimate RelationshipsCohabiting 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

Intimate RelationshipsGay 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

Intimate RelationshipsGay 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

Intimate RelationshipsSinglehood

Many single adults: Prefer singlehood

Participate in intimate relationships that are not “partnered”

Maintain close relationships with families of origin and close friends

ParenthoodOverview

85% of parents cite relationship of child most fulfilling life aspect

Transition to parenthood stressful

Transition happens with other social relationships also in transition

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

Parenthood Delaying Parenthood

Decisions to delay parenting

Stop and Think

What do you believe are the three greatest adjustments that new parents face?

Are these adjustments short-term? Long-term?

Parenthood Postpartum Depression

Incidence Causes Symptoms Treatment

ParenthoodDevelopmental 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

Figure 14.5 Marital Satisfaction through the Family Life Cycle

ParenthoodChildlessness

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

ParenthoodSocial 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.

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?

Questions To PonderQuestions To PonderQuestions To PonderQuestions To Ponder

Other RelationshipsFriends

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)

Other RelationshipsSex Differences in Relationship Styles

Women have more close friends

Women often the “kinkeeper”, correspondence, family news

Young men remain competitive with friends

The Role of WorkerChoosing an Occupation

Family and educational influences of occupational choice

Parent social class

Family values

Educational goals

The Role of WorkerInfluence 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

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

The Role of WorkerCareer Development: Super’s Model

Stages of career development

Career DevelopmentJob Satisfaction

Influences Individual personality traits High school and college preparation related

to career Uncertainty about job security, employment

market and job opportunities

The Role of WorkerQuality 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

The Role of WorkerSex 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?

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?