Slide 1Erikson’s Theory: Generativity versus StagnationHighly Generative AdultsDo People Really Have Midlife Crises?Gender Crossover: Men’s Gender IdentityGender Crossover: Women’s Gender IdentityTheories of Social Contact: Social Convoy TheoryTheories of Social Contact: Socioemotional Selectivity TheoryLife-Span Motives for Social ContactBenefits of MarriageFriendships in MidlifeThe Empty NestEmpty Nest and Marital SatisfactionThe Cluttered NestAging Parents: Contact and Mutual HelpStrains of Caring for ParentsGrandparenthoodThe Grandparents’ RoleEffects of ‘Parenting by Default’Psychosocial Development in Late AdulthoodSuccessful AgingTheories of Socioemotional DevelopmentTheories of Socioemotional DevelopmentTheories of Socioemotional DevelopmentStereotyping of Older AdultsSatisfaction in RetirementLifestyle DiversityLong-term MarriageWidowhood and DivorceFriendshipReligiousness in AmericaReligion, Health and AgingPossible effects of religiousness on healthSlide 34Slide 35Social & Emotional Development in Middle and Late AdulthoodErikson’s Theory: Generativity versus StagnationGenerativity•Guiding the next generation•Commitment beyond self•Often realized through child rearing•Other family, work, mentoring relationships also generativeStagnation•Place own comfort/security above challenge and sacrifice•Self-centered, self-indulgent, self-absorbed•Lack of involvement or concern with young people•Little interest in work productivity, self-improvementHighly Generative Adults•Commitment story: family, community, society•turning bad life events into good•giving back, redemption•personal renewal or enlightenment•Interpretation of life events affects level of generativity•high level leads to greater life satisfactionDo People Really Have Midlife Crises?•Occurrence is rare•Some suffer turmoil, others feel at their peak•Least likely among those with “ego resiliency”•Able to adapt to stress•Sense of mastery and control•Midlife is just one of many transitions•Middle age no more than other stages of lifeGender Crossover:Men’s Gender Identity•Gender crossover•In middle age, many men become more interested in:•Expression of feelings•Intimate relationships•Nurturing•Traits traditionally labeled as feminineGender Crossover: Women’s Gender Identity•In middle age, many women become more :•Assertive•Self-confident•Achievement-oriented•Characteristics traditionally labeled as masculineTheories of Social Contact: Social Convoy TheoryPeople move through life surrounded by social convoys•Close friends, family memberson whom they rely for assistance•In return, they offer care, support and concernTheories of Social Contact: Socioemotional Selectivity TheorySocial interaction has 3 main goals:1. Source of information2. Helps develop a sense of self3. Source of comfort or well-beingLife-Span Motives for Social ContactBenefits of Marriage•Longevity•Social support•Easier to accumulate wealth•Better physical and mental health•Encouragement of healthy behaviors•Singleness hardest on midlife menFriendships in Midlife•Social networks smaller, more intimate•Friendships especially strong source of support for women•Quality of time makes up for quantity of time spent with friends•Conflicts center around values, beliefs and lifestylesThe Empty NestA transition period when the youngest child leaves home•Women heavily invested in mothering find this transition difficult•Most women find the transition liberatingRelief from the “chronic emergencies” of parenthoodEmpty Nest and Marital SatisfactionGood marriages Empty nest may start a second honeymoon phaseShaky marriagesMay stress marriage, lead to divorceThe Cluttered Nest•Also called•Revolving door syndrome•Boomerang phenomenon•More common as more adult children return home•Most likely to return:•Men•Single•Divorced or separatedAging Parents: Contact and Mutual Help•Most middle-aged adults have affectionate relationships with parents•Frequent contact and mutual help•A life stage of ‘filial maturity’•Middle-aged children accepting, meeting their parents’ dependency needs•A healthy outcome of ‘filial crisis’•Middle-aged adults balance love and duty for their parentsStrains of Caring for Parents•Caregiving: physical, mental and financial burden•Typically, a daughter takes caregiver role•Sandwich generation - caring for both elderly parents and own children •Stressful caring for physical and mental ailments, like dementia•Well-being is likely to suffer•Caregiver burnoutGrandparenthood•Grandparenting often begins before end of active parenting•Average grandparent:•Starts at 45•Has 6 grandchildren•Still has living parentsThe Grandparents’ Role•68% see at least one grandchild every 2 weeks•Grandmothers usually‘kinkeepers’•Keep in touch with grandchildren•Have warmer relationships than grandfathers•Grandparents nation’s primary childcare providers•Many spend money on educational needs of grandchildrenEffects of ‘Parenting by Default’Unplanned surrogate parenting is draining:•Physically•Emotionally•Unclear legal rights•Generation gap larger than between parents and children •Financially•Many abandon leisure and retirement pursuitsPsychosocial Development in Late Adulthood•Erikson’s Ego Integrity v Despair•Final stage of life span•Successful crisis resolution brings virtue of wisdom•Having lived a life without regretsSuccessful Aging1. Avoidance of disease or disability2. Maintenance of physical & cognitive function3. Active engagement in social activitiesTheories of Socioemotional Development•Disengagement Theory•Mutual withdrawal of old person and Society; Rocking-chair model•Activity Theory•Activity is linked with life satisfaction•Continuity Theory•need to maintain a connection between past and present16-23Theories of Socioemotional Development•Selective optimization with compensation theory: Successful aging is linked with three main factors:•Selection - Older adults have a reduced capacity and loss of functioning, which require a reduction in performance in most life domains16-24Theories of Socioemotional Development•Optimization - It is possible to maintain performance in some areas through continued practice and the use of new technologies•Compensation - Older adults need to compensate when life tasks