FAD3220 Chapter 16: Psychological development in Middle AdulthoodClass Notes Change at Midlife - Midlife includes both stability and change - Individuation: emergence of the true self through balancing or integration ofconflicting parts of the personality o Shift from concentration on obligations to family and society and theirinner spiritual selves. o Giving up image of youth and acknowledging mortality (deciding whatto 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, andinfluencing the next generation or else experiences stagnation (asense 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 - 30s: occupational striving - 40s: reevaluation and drastic restructuring of lives - 50s: mellowing and relative stability (don’t care about certain things asmuch) - 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 andwhere 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 occurslater 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’spast, 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’slifeIdentity 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 accommodationGender 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 intimaterelationships on which they rely for assistance, well- being, and socialsupport - Person’s characteristics and person’s situations determine size andcomposition of the convoy- Convoys can change over timeRelationships at midlife - For middle aged adults, relationships are the most important key to well-being - Relationships can also present stressful demands (especially on women), aspeople they are linked to experience more stress (worry about children andparents) they tend to have more active relationships and therefore moreto worry about. Book Notes *Reflects all bolded/ important information not presented in classEgo Resiliency- the ability to adapt flexibly and resourcefully to potential sources ofstress- People w/ this trait tend to not experience the mid-life crisisIdentity Development - Identity process theory: Whitbourne’s theory of identity development basedon processes of assimilation and accommodation - Identity Schemas: perceived physical characteristics, cognitive abilities andpersonality traits. Usually assessed through intimate relationships, workrelated situations, and community and other experiences. Theories of relationships in Midlife - Socioemotional selectivity theory- people select social contacts on the basisof the changing relative importance of social interaction as a source ofinformation, as an aid in developing and maintaining a self- concept as asource of emotional well- being. Marriage- Long- standing marriages may be less likely to break up because they havemarital capital if they stay together. - Marital capital: financial and emotional benefits built up during long-standing marriage, which tend to hold a couple together. Parenting - Empty nest: transitional phase of parenting following the last child leavingthe 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 toreturn to their parent’s household in times of financial, marital, or othertrouble. (This idea focuses on the perspective of the parent’s upon child’sreturn) Relationships with aging Parents - Filial maturity: stage of life in which middle- aged children learn to acceptand meet their parent’s dependency needs. Is seen as a healthy outcome offilial crisis, in which adults learn to balance love and duty to their parentswith autonomy within a two- way relationship Caregiving - Sandwich generation- middle aged adults squeezed by competing needs toraise or launch children while caring for elderly parents. - Caregiver burnout: condition of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustionaffecting adults who provide continuous care for sick and aged familymembers Grandparenting- Kinship care: care of children living without parents in the home ofgrandparents or other relatives, with or without a change of legal
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