FAD3220 Chapter 16 Psychological development in Middle Adulthood Class Notes Change at Midlife Midlife includes both stability and change Individuation emergence of the true self through balancing or integration of conflicting parts of the personality o Shift from concentration on obligations to family and society and their inner spiritual selves o Giving up image of youth and acknowledging mortality deciding what to do w the time they have left Generativity Generativity vs Stagnation o Erikson s 7th stage of psychological development o Middle aged adult develops concern w establishing guiding and influencing the next generation or else experiences stagnation a sense of inactivity or helplessness Generativity establishing guiding and influencing the next generation Forms of Generativity Parenting Grandparenting Teaching mentorship Productivity creativity Self development Volunteering Life Shifts much 30s occupational striving 40s reevaluation and drastic restructuring of lives 50s mellowing and relative stability don t care about certain things as men become more nurturant and expressive more concerned w relationships b c aren t as focused on occupation Inferiority turning inward introspection thinking about where they are and where they want to be Social Clock The timing of the following events are much more diverse today o Launching children some children boomerang back home o Becoming grandparents being delayed b c childbirth usually occurs later than it used to causing grandparenthood to be cut short o Changing jobs or careers being laid off economy o Retirement Midlife Crisis A stressful life period precipitated by the review and reevaluation of one s past typically occurring in the early to mid forties Appears to be fairly unusual may be more accurate to call midlife review not a lot of people actually go into crisis mode Quarterlife Crisis mid twenties to early thirties Turning point significant transformation in the perceived meaning of one s life Identity Development Identity assimilation to fit new experience into an existing self concept inflexible Identity accommodation adjusting the self concept to fit new experience weak easily undermined Identity balance tendency to balance assimilation and accommodation Gender and Identity Gender crossover reversal of gender roles after the end of active parenting o Men feel free to explore their previously repressed feminine side becoming more passive o Women become more dominant and independent Relationships Social convoys people move through life surrounded by circles of intimate relationships on which they rely for assistance well being and social support Person s characteristics and person s situations determine size and composition of the convoy Convoys can change over time Relationships at midlife For middle aged adults relationships are the most important key to well being Relationships can also present stressful demands especially on women as people they are linked to experience more stress worry about children and parents they tend to have more active relationships and therefore more to worry about Book Notes Reflects all bolded important information not presented in class Ego Resiliency the ability to adapt flexibly and resourcefully to potential sources of stress People w this trait tend to not experience the mid life crisis Identity Development Identity process theory Whitbourne s theory of identity development based on processes of assimilation and accommodation Identity Schemas perceived physical characteristics cognitive abilities and personality traits Usually assessed through intimate relationships work related situations and community and other experiences Theories of relationships in Midlife Socioemotional selectivity theory people select social contacts on the basis of the changing relative importance of social interaction as a source of information as an aid in developing and maintaining a self concept as a source of emotional well being Marriage Parenting Long standing marriages may be less likely to break up because they have marital capital if they stay together Marital capital financial and emotional benefits built up during long standing marriage which tend to hold a couple together Empty nest transitional phase of parenting following the last child leaving the parent s home o This phase can be very difficult for some but most find it liberating Revolving door syndrome tendency for young adults who have left home to return to their parent s household in times of financial marital or other trouble This idea focuses on the perspective of the parent s upon child s return Relationships with aging Parents Filial maturity stage of life in which middle aged children learn to accept and meet their parent s dependency needs Is seen as a healthy outcome of filial crisis in which adults learn to balance love and duty to their parents with autonomy within a two way relationship Caregiving Sandwich generation middle aged adults squeezed by competing needs to raise or launch children while caring for elderly parents Caregiver burnout condition of physical mental and emotional exhaustion affecting adults who provide continuous care for sick and aged family members Grandparenting Kinship care care of children living without parents in the home of grandparents or other relatives with or without a change of legal custody
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