PSYCH 250 1st Edition Lecture 20Outline of Last Lecture I. Trends in Having ChildrenII. Advantages and Disadvantages of Parenthood III. Changes with ParenthoodOutline of Current Lecture IV. Generativity vs. StagnationV. Social Clock and Trends in MarriageVI. Marital SatisfactionVII. Midlife CrisisVIII. Empty Nest SyndromeIX. The Sandwich GenerationCurrent LectureGenerativity vs. StagnationErikson’s seventh stage of development is Generativity vs. Stagnation. The goal of this conflict is Generativity. Generativity: finding ways to reach out and guide the next generation. This is typically recognized by the individual through raising children but individuals may also be generative through their families, jobs, relationships, and mentoring.Stagnation: placing one’s own comfort and security above new challenges and sacrifices.These individuals are usually self-centered, self-absorbed, and self-indulgent. They show little interest in productivity and are not primarily concerned with the younger generations.Social Clock and Trends in Marriage The social clock is made up of expectations for major life events (marriage, job, etc) that are assessed by age. All societies and cultures have their own set of timetables for their individuals. Whether or not a person (especially women) is “on – time” or “off – time” affects their psychological well-being and self-esteem.Vanderwater and Stewart conducted a study to determine the impact that social clocks had on college women who were born in the 1930s. They found two different types of social clocks.Feminine Social Clock – these women often married young, had children, and stayed home. They were found to be responsible, self – controlled and caring, yet had lower self-esteem.Masculine Social Clock - these women were career and status oriented. They tended to bemore dominant, social, and independent over time.However, Vanderwater and Stewart also identified a third group of women. These were women who were not a social clock. They were neither married, nor had a career, and were doing exceptionally poorly by the age of 30.The family life cycle is a sequence of phases that characterize the development of most families throughout the world. There are three stages:- Early Adulthood: the individual leaves home, marries, and has children- Middle Adulthood: the family launches their children into the real world- Late Adulthood: family members retire, and often experience the death of a spouseNearly 90% of the population will marry at least once. However, people in today’s society are waiting longer to get married. In 1950, the average age of marriage was 20 for women and 23 for men. As of 2006, the average age of marriage rose to 25 for women and 27 for men. Today, more people are choosing to wait longer, cohabitate, stay single, or do not remarry following a divorce.However, current research shows that married people are happier, healthier, and richer than unmarried people (not much happier).Marital SatisfactionThe age of the individuals at the time of marriage is the most consistent predictor of marital stability. The division of labor also seems to play a role in marital happiness. Men who are in dual –earning marriages (both are employed) do about 85% as much of childcare that women do. However, when it comes to housework, women still do more. There are several factors that predict the level of marital satisfaction:-- Family backgrounds- Age at the time of marriage- Length of the dating period- Presence of cohabitation before marriage- Timing of first pregnancy- Quality of relationship to extended family- Financial and occupational status- Family responsibilities- Personality characteristicsEconomic stability as well as the gap between parenting and retirement, allows couples to focuson their marriage. Middle adulthood is often a time of marriage readjustment; meaning that some marriages get better and others end in divorce. A good marriage is linked to psychological well-being, divorce at later ages is often more devastating.Marital satisfaction changes over time, and is characterized by the U – shaped curve, and Whoopee Effect. The U – shaped curve is formed by the peak of happiness at the beginning of marriage, the sharp drop in satisfaction after children, and the “Whoopee” many parents feel once their children leave the home. 100 couples who had been married for over 40 years were asked: What is the secret?- See your spouse as your best friend- View your marriage as a long – term commitment- Like your spouse as a person- Share your goals and dreams- Laugh a lotResearch on same – sex unions is limited, but it has been concluded that factors that contribute to happiness among heterosexual marriages apply to the levels of satisfaction in same – sex partnerships. The greatest differences between heterosexual couples and gay couples were found in the parents (less accepting).Midlife CrisisA midlife crisis is a state of physical and psychological distress that arises when certain developmental tasks overwhelm a person’s resources and social support. In a study conducted by Levinson, about 80% of men expressed that they had gone through a midlife crisis. But does a “crisis” really exist for men in their 40s?Research has not supported the idea the 40s are a time of excess stress. Crisis is not a universal experience in middle adulthood. However, many changes do occur between individuals in the 40s – 50s. Empty Nest SyndromeThe empty nest syndrome has been proved to be a myth. In fact, many parent report a greater level of happiness, marital satisfaction and sense of personal well-being after their children leave the home. However, parents must adjust to their children’s new adult roles, and the relationships between parents and children often improve.At this point, “launching” is really the letting go process. Parents continue to contact and support their children, but parental authority declines. A parent’s response to this letting go (launching) is affected by a number of things:- Involvement in non-parenting roles and relationships (jobs, hobbies, etc.)- Children’s characteristics (temperament)- Parents marital and economic situations- Cultural normsThe Sandwich GenerationThis generation refers to middle aged adults who are taking care of children at the same time they are taking care of their parents. Most adults are not in this position of