Chapter 16: Middle Adulthood - Social & Emotional Development Flashcards
Generativity
The ability to generate or produce, as in bearing children or contributing to society
Stagnation
The state of no longer developing, growing, or advancing
Midlife Transition
A psychological shift into middle adulthood is theorized to occur between the ages of 40 and 45, as people sometimes begin to believe they have more to look back on than to look forward to.
- Levison characterizes the years of 40-45 as a midlife transition that is often occurred by a midlife crisis, but many people at this age are at the height of their productivity and resilience.
Midlife Crisis
A time of dramatic self-doubt and anxiety, during which people sense the passing of their youth and become concerned with their own aging and mortality.
- Elliot James developed the concept of the midlife crisis.
- But recent research does not show evidence for a mid-life crises; many are at the height of their productivity and resilience.
Empty Nest Syndrome
A feeling of loneliness or loss of purpose that parents theorized to experience when the youngest leaves home.
“Big Five” Personality Traits (OCEAN)
Basic personality traits are derived from contemporary statistical methods; longitudinal research finds that the “big five” personality traits who a good deal of stability after age 30, but the traits of agreeableness and conscientiousness tend to increase and neuroticism declines.
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Extroversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
Sandwich Generation
The term for middle-aged people who need to meet their children’s and aging parents’ demands.
- Multigenerational caregivers: care for offspring and aging parents
- 30% of Canadian caregivers
- Caregiver burden
Erikson’s Psychological Theory for Middle Adulthood
- Generativity Versus Stagnation Stage: adults thrive when they create and nurture things that will outlast them. Rasing children or creating a positive change leads to feelings of usefulness and accomplishment. Failure results in shallow involvement and a realization that they will leave nothing last behind.
Important life event: Work & Parenthood
Havighiurts Task for Middle Adulthood
Including helping our children establish themselves, adjusting to physical changes, and adjusting to caring for aging parents.
Social Clock
The social norm guides our judgement regarding the age-related “appropriateness” of certain behaviours.
- Social clock begins in middle adulthood, and ageism colours much of middle life.
Partnerships in Middle Adulthood: Marriage
- Increases in marital satisfaction and stability
- Fewer conflicts, increased sense of control
- Skilled diplomacy
- Divorce
- ETS: Couples who married “early” (before 23) are at more risk
- Middle-aged women cope better with divorce than younger ones
- Less likely to get a divorce than younger adults
Edmonton Transitions Study (ETS)
a longitudinal project surveying Canadian adults from the age of 18 over a period of 25 years. Beginning in 1985.
Results showed that people who married on time or late were least likely to report depressive symptoms in midlife. Also, people who reported depressive symptoms at age 18 were more likely to be divorced later in life though reported happiness or self-esteem had no relationship with later marital status. Along with earning a university degree, marrying late also predicted higher income at midlife and increased midlife self-esteem.
In examining their results, Johnson et al. suggested that people who marry earlier rather than later may face greater challenges due to the added responsibilities of starting a family at a relatively early age. This can include greater difficulty in reaching educational goals or adding the time needed to launch a career. Early marriage can also occur due to increased pressure from family members or an unexpected pregnancy, leading to greater emotional distress.
Partnerships in Middle Adulthood: Friendships & Siblings
- Fewer friends, but still close and intimate
- Positive correlation with psychological health and well-being
- Most middle-aged adult has a sibling
- Most are close
- But relationships tend to mimic the ones in childhood
Partnerships in Middle Adulthood: Grandparenting
- 45% of Canadians become grandparents by the end of middle-adulthood
- Finding a balance between participating and not interfering
- An important source of stability for children of divorced parents
- Skip-generation family
- Multigenerational families
Skip-generation family
Skipped-generation households are families in which grand- parents raise children and parents are absent from the house- hold.
