Psychosocial Development
in Young Adulthood
Chapter 14
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
1
Guideposts for Study
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What influences varied paths to adulthood, and how do
emerging adults develop a sense of adult identity and
autonomous relationships with their parents?
Does personality change during adulthood, and if so,
how?
How is intimacy expressed in friendship and love?
When and why do young adults choose to remain
single, form gay or lesbian relationships, cohabit or
marry, and how satisfying and stable are those
lifestyles?
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
2
Guideposts for Study
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When do most adults become parents,
and how does parenthood affect a
marriage?
What are the trends in divorce rates, and
how do young adults adjust to divorce,
remarriage and stepparenthood?
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
3
Influences on Paths to Adulthood
 Gender
 Academic
ability
 Early attitudes toward education
 Expectations in late adolescence
 Social class
 Ego development
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
4
Recentering
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Stage 1 — Still embedded in family of origin
Stage 2 — Connected to family, but moving
toward serious commitments and gaining
resources to support them
Stage 3 — Independence from family of
origin, with increased commitment to career,
partner and possibly children
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
5
Identity Development
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Contemporary moratorium
“Youthhood,” a permanent alternative to adulthood
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Racial/ethnic identity exploration
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
6
Developing Adult
Relationships with Parents
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One measure of how successfully emerging
adults handle becoming autonomous is their
ability to remain connected with parents.
Parents and children seem to get along best
when normative life course is followed.
Failure to launch—adult children who
continue to live with parents
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
7
Personality Development:
Four Views
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Normative stage models
Timing of events model
Trait models
Typological models
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
8
Erikson’s
Normative Stage Model
Intimacy versus isolation
 Young adults must make commitments
to others or face isolation and selfabsorption
 Resolution of this stage results in
virtue of ‘love’
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© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc
9
Valiant’s
Four Patterns of Adaptation
Adaptive Mechanisms:
–
–
–
–
Mature
Immature
Psychotic
Neurotic
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Levinson’s Stage Model
Life Structure
The underlying pattern of a
person’s life at a given time
– Eras and phases
–
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Normative Studies of Women
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Women may face different psychological
and environmental constraints in forming life
structures than men do.
Women’s transitions tend to take longer.
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 12
Criticisms of
Normative-Stage Models
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Generalizability
–
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Effects of societal events specific to
cohorts
–
–
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Small and limited samples
Economic depression of the 1930s
Economic expansion after WWII
Developmental tasks
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Timing-of-Events Model
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The course of development depends on
when events occur in people’s lives
Normative life events
‘On time’ or ‘Off time’
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Social Clock
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Trait Models:
Five Factors of Personality
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Evaluating Five-Factor Model
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Research has found gradual, systematic
change in personality throughout
adulthood, not continuity.
Five-factor model is based on subjective
ratings – may lack validity.
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 16
Typological Models
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Personality affects and reflects:
–
–
–
–
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Attitudes
Values
Beliefs
Social interactions
Use interviews, self-reports, clinical
assessments and behavior ratings
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Typological Models:
Three Personality Types
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Ego-resilient
Overcontrolled
Undercontrolled
3 Types differ in:
Ego-resiliency: Adaptability under stress
Ego-control: Self control
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Foundations of
Intimate Relationships
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Self-disclosure
Self-awareness and empathy
Ability to communicate emotions
Conflict resolution
Commitment
Sexual decision making
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 19
Friendship in Young Adulthood
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Center on work and parenting activities
Sharing of confidences and advice
Young singles rely on friendship for
social needs
Women have social needs
met by friends more than men
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Sternberg’s
Triangular Subtheory of Love
Three Elements of Love:
1. Intimacy
–
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Emotional element
Involves self-disclosure
2. Passion
–
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Motivational element
Translates physiological arousal into sexual desire
3. Commitment
–
–
Cognitive element
Decision to love and stay with the beloved
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Single Life

Young adults 25-34 who have not yet
married:
32% women
43% men
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Gay and Lesbian
Relationships
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About 40-60% of gay men and 45-80% of
lesbians are in romantic relationships
Differences between gay/lesbian
relationships and heterosexuals ones
•
•
•
More likely to negotiate household choice
Resolve conflicts in more positive atmosphere
Less stable, due to lack of institutional supports
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 23
Legalizing Same-Sex Marriages
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World:
– Netherlands first to legalize, 2001
– Belgium, 2003
– 16 European countries have recognized same-sex unions.
U.S.
– Vermont first state to recognize civil unions
– Massachusetts first to legalize same-sex marriage 2003
– California Supreme Court strikes down gay marriage ban in
2008
– Legislation pending in several other states
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 24
Cohabitation
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Unmarried couples who are involved
in a sexual relationship and live
together
Wide international variation
–
–
More than 83% of French women before
age 45 years
Less than 5% of Polish women
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Women’s Expected Cohabitation
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Cohabitation in the USA
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Appears to be in transition
4 percent of U.S. households
–
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Higher divorce rates among previous
cohabiters
–
–
Over half of U.S. couples who marry live
together first
May reflect people’s traits, rather than the
experience of cohabitation itself
Meaning of cohabitation is different for
older couples
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Benefits of Marriage
Division of labor
 Economic security
 Commitment, friendship
 Opportunity for emotional growth
 New sources of identity and self-esteem

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Entering Matrimony
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Historically mates chosen by
matchmakers
–
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Only in modern times do people choose
mates based on love
Typical marrying age has increased in
industrialized countries
–
–
Men: 27 years
Women: 25 years
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Living Arrangements
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Marital Satisfaction
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Married people tend to be happier than
unmarried people.
Those in unhappy marriages are less happy
than unmarried or divorced people.
Factors affecting satisfaction:
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Expectations
–
Economic resources
Equal decision-making
Non-traditional gender attitudes
–
–
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Marriage: Four
Theoretical Perspectives
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Companionate model
Institutional model
Equity model
Gender model
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Factors in
Marital Success or Failure
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Partners’ happiness with the relationship
Sensitivity to each other
Validation of each other’s feelings
Communication
Conflict management skills
Age at marriage
College graduates
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 33
Having Children in
Developing Countries
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Overpopulation and hunger are
problems.
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Division of labor has changed.
–
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Important to recognize need to limit
family size
More mothers now work for pay
Age at first child varies by ethnicity
and race.
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 34
Average Age of
Mothers at First Birth
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Men & Women:
Involvement in Parenthood
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Both have a mixture of feelings.
–
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Mothers are more involved than fathers
in children’s lives.
–
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Excitement, anxiety, responsibility
Married women complain of more
housework and marital conflict
Involved fathers tend to be more
satisfied with their lives.
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Marital Satisfaction &
Parenthood
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Marital satisfaction declines during
childrearing years, especially infanthood
Mothers who saw themselves as unable to
cope with demands of motherhood were
dissatisfied
Fathers most involved with children were
more satisfied with their lives
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 37
Benefits of
Dual-Earner Families
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Beneficial to mental and physical health
Women have a greater share of
economic power
Reduces the economic pressure on men
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Drawbacks of
Dual-Earner Families
Possible rivalry between spouses
 Extra demands on time and energy
 Anxiety and guilt about meeting
children’s needs
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© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 39
Domestic Work:
Effects on Marriage
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Dual-income families take diverse forms
Wives’ earnings accounted for an average
of 35% of family income
Perception of inequality of roles
contributes to marital instability
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Divorce
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Average marriage that ends in divorce does
so after 7-8 years.
1 in 5 U.S. adults has been divorced.
Rates twice as high as 1960
Peak in early 1980s
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Possible Reasons for Divorce
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Incompatibility and lack of emotional
support
Younger women said, lack of career
support
Spousal abuse
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 42
Box 14.1 Intimate Partner Violence
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Victims are predominantly young, poor, less
educated, divorced or cohabiting
Three types of violence
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–
–
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Situational couple violence
Emotional abuse
Intimate terrorism
Shelters and law enforcement support
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Adjusting to Divorce
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Divorce tends to reduce long-term well-being
Men: Negative effects on health
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Disruption of parent-child relationships
Loss of emotional support
Discord with former spouse
Economic hardship
Women more likely to live in poverty post-divorce
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 44
Remarriage and Stepparenthood
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One-third of U.S. marriages are
remarriages for both bride and groom.
One-fourth of stepfamilies are formed
by cohabitation.
Many families adjust and create
a nurturing atmosphere.
© 2009 by the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc 45