What is Adulthood?
the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed
the state (and responsibilities) of a person who has attained maturity
Erikson's Theory:
The adolescence and adult stages are as follows (the ages for each stage are very approximate):
Stage 5. Adolescence (13–19 years): avoid role confusion and develop a sense of identity; social focus is on peer groups
Stage 6. Early adulthood (20–30 years): most adults commit themselves to a love relationship and to intimacy; other adults develop a sense of isolation; social focus in this stage is on friendships
Stage 7. Middle adulthood (30–60 years most adults commit themselves to productive and socially valuable work (including bringing up their own children and being concerned with others within society), or they become stagnant and self-centered
Erikson described these two extremes as generativity and stagnation.
Generativity refers to “the interest in establishing and guiding the next generation.” The social focus is on the household.
Stage 8. Old age (60 years onwards): Adults in this stage try to make sense of their lives. If they are successful in doing so, they gain wisdom; if they cannot do this, then they experience despair. The social focus is on humankind.
Early Adulthood:
developing the ability to share intimacy, seeking to form relationships and find intimate love.
Career Choices
Marriage/Children
Successful marriage =how people handle the good times and how they handle the bad times
Children (married couples) – 2.3 as of 2008 (US Census Bureau)
Divorce:
Roughly 60% of those who marry a first time will divorce in the United States.
Those who marry a second time are divorcing at a 75% rate.
Divorce is especially likely during the first five years of marriage, and other “danger periods” are after 15 and 25 years of marriage.
Divorce is the second most stressful life event after death of one’s spouse.
Work/career choice:
socioeconomic status
Friends
political values
residence location
child care
job stress
other aspects of life
And while income is important in both career selection and career longevity, so are achievement, recognition, satisfaction, security, and challenge.
Physical Changes:
One theory—our cells break down and cannot repair themselves.
Another theory—our cells are “biological clocks” that can only divide and multiply so many times.
Peak physical condition 18-30
Changes in sight are very noticeable
Hearing is not as good—especially when more than two people are talking.
Robert Havighurst lists seven major tasks in the middle years:
1.accepting and adjusting to physiological changes, such as menopause
2.reaching and maintaining satisfaction in one's occupation
3.adjusting to and possibly caring for aging parents
4.helping teenage children to become responsible adults
5.achieving adult social and civic responsibility
6.relating to one's spouse as a person
7.developing leisure-time activities
Health Problems:
Staying away from bad stuff keeps up looking younger longer.
No tobacco, drugs, booze, and a sensible well-balanced diet along with a moderate exercise regimen are also very good.
The three most common causes for death—heart disease, cancer, cirrhosis may all be a result of the living we do as younger people.
Lesser causes are drug abuse, and death due to accidents—both more prevalent in younger ages.
Menopause:
Between the ages of 45-50, a woman stops ovulating and menstruating so she cannot bear any more children.
Negativity associated with menopause is merely the effect of stereotyping and have no physical basis.
Men have no counterpart to menopause—men have fathered children well into their 80s (Aaron Burr).
Reproduction After Menopause -With help of technology, women can now conceive and carry a baby to term after menopause. (Very Rare)
The age of the mother is a controversial issue, while the age of the father is not.
Levinson's 5 stages of Male Development:
1.Entering the Adult World
2.The Age-Thirty Crisis
3.Settling Down/ BOOM period
4.The Midlife Transition
4.Middle Adulthood
Female Development:
The mentor - Women substantially less likely to have a mentor
Love relationship – Men seek women to support their dreams. Women seek a “special man” but see themselves as supporting his dreams.
Men dream of occupational achievement, status accomplishment. Women – less clear dreams; more tentative mix of family and career interests
Women are a bit different at the midlife stage especially as many are going back to college or going back to work.
Empty Nest Syndrome
When the last child has left home the women may suffer from depression especially if her marriage is not so good. Otherwise, they may be at their happiest with the new-found freedom.
Midlife Crisis:
While a midlife crisis is not regarded as a universal phenomenon, during one's 40s and 50s comes the recognition that more than half of one's life is gone.
That recognition may prompt some to feel that the clock is ticking and that they must make sudden, drastic changes in order to achieve their goals, while others focus on finding satisfaction with the present course of their lives.
the period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed
the state (and responsibilities) of a person who has attained maturity
Erikson's Theory:
The adolescence and adult stages are as follows (the ages for each stage are very approximate):
Stage 5. Adolescence (13–19 years): avoid role confusion and develop a sense of identity; social focus is on peer groups
Stage 6. Early adulthood (20–30 years): most adults commit themselves to a love relationship and to intimacy; other adults develop a sense of isolation; social focus in this stage is on friendships
Stage 7. Middle adulthood (30–60 years most adults commit themselves to productive and socially valuable work (including bringing up their own children and being concerned with others within society), or they become stagnant and self-centered
Erikson described these two extremes as generativity and stagnation.
Generativity refers to “the interest in establishing and guiding the next generation.” The social focus is on the household.
Stage 8. Old age (60 years onwards): Adults in this stage try to make sense of their lives. If they are successful in doing so, they gain wisdom; if they cannot do this, then they experience despair. The social focus is on humankind.
Early Adulthood:
developing the ability to share intimacy, seeking to form relationships and find intimate love.
Career Choices
Marriage/Children
Successful marriage =how people handle the good times and how they handle the bad times
Children (married couples) – 2.3 as of 2008 (US Census Bureau)
Divorce:
Roughly 60% of those who marry a first time will divorce in the United States.
Those who marry a second time are divorcing at a 75% rate.
Divorce is especially likely during the first five years of marriage, and other “danger periods” are after 15 and 25 years of marriage.
Divorce is the second most stressful life event after death of one’s spouse.
Work/career choice:
socioeconomic status
Friends
political values
residence location
child care
job stress
other aspects of life
And while income is important in both career selection and career longevity, so are achievement, recognition, satisfaction, security, and challenge.
Physical Changes:
One theory—our cells break down and cannot repair themselves.
Another theory—our cells are “biological clocks” that can only divide and multiply so many times.
Peak physical condition 18-30
Changes in sight are very noticeable
Hearing is not as good—especially when more than two people are talking.
Robert Havighurst lists seven major tasks in the middle years:
1.accepting and adjusting to physiological changes, such as menopause
2.reaching and maintaining satisfaction in one's occupation
3.adjusting to and possibly caring for aging parents
4.helping teenage children to become responsible adults
5.achieving adult social and civic responsibility
6.relating to one's spouse as a person
7.developing leisure-time activities
Health Problems:
Staying away from bad stuff keeps up looking younger longer.
No tobacco, drugs, booze, and a sensible well-balanced diet along with a moderate exercise regimen are also very good.
The three most common causes for death—heart disease, cancer, cirrhosis may all be a result of the living we do as younger people.
Lesser causes are drug abuse, and death due to accidents—both more prevalent in younger ages.
Menopause:
Between the ages of 45-50, a woman stops ovulating and menstruating so she cannot bear any more children.
Negativity associated with menopause is merely the effect of stereotyping and have no physical basis.
Men have no counterpart to menopause—men have fathered children well into their 80s (Aaron Burr).
Reproduction After Menopause -With help of technology, women can now conceive and carry a baby to term after menopause. (Very Rare)
The age of the mother is a controversial issue, while the age of the father is not.
Levinson's 5 stages of Male Development:
1.Entering the Adult World
2.The Age-Thirty Crisis
3.Settling Down/ BOOM period
4.The Midlife Transition
4.Middle Adulthood
Female Development:
The mentor - Women substantially less likely to have a mentor
Love relationship – Men seek women to support their dreams. Women seek a “special man” but see themselves as supporting his dreams.
Men dream of occupational achievement, status accomplishment. Women – less clear dreams; more tentative mix of family and career interests
Women are a bit different at the midlife stage especially as many are going back to college or going back to work.
Empty Nest Syndrome
When the last child has left home the women may suffer from depression especially if her marriage is not so good. Otherwise, they may be at their happiest with the new-found freedom.
Midlife Crisis:
While a midlife crisis is not regarded as a universal phenomenon, during one's 40s and 50s comes the recognition that more than half of one's life is gone.
That recognition may prompt some to feel that the clock is ticking and that they must make sudden, drastic changes in order to achieve their goals, while others focus on finding satisfaction with the present course of their lives.