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Social-emotional Dev in Early Adulthood Two Announcement • Psych Club- Thursday 6-8pm, Howarth 005 • Psychology department colloquium – Friday, 2:30-3:30, Howarth 011 Erikson • Intimacy vs Isolation – Thoughts and feelings about permanent commitment to an intimate partner – Without a sense of independence • Self-defined in terms of partner; decreased self-respect and initiative – Without intimacy, face loneliness and selfabsorption – Intimacy enhances quality of other relationships – Successful resolution of conflict prepares for Generativity- caring for next generation and improving society Levinson’s Seasons of Life • Sequence of “eras” • Eras begin with a transition (about 5 years) – Concludes previous era and prepares for the next • Between transitions people are in stable periods concentrating on building life structure – LS- underlying pattern or design of a person’s life at a given time- typically a person’s relationships with significant others- individuals, groups, institutions • Structure –building takes 5 to 7 years Levinson’s Seasons of Life • Dreams and Mentors – Most young adults construct a dream, an image of the self in the adult world that helps guide their decision making • For men, dream usually emphasizes an independent achiever in an occupational role • Most career-oriented women display “split dreams” in which both marriage and career are prominent • Mentors foster advancement in the workplace • After 30 transition – Reevaluate life structure, change inadequacies – Men rarely reverse career-family priority • Women sometimes do – Unsatisfaction with either one can result in transitional crisis Levinson’s Seasons of Life • Settling down for men, continued instability for women – 33-40 years • Men anchor themselves more firmly in family, occupation, and community • Does not describe majority of women. Why not? • This “stability” often does not come until middle adulthood for women Levinson’s Seasons of Life • Criticisms of Levinson’s theory – Conclusions based on people in the 1920s to 40s – Few non-college educated, low SES adults. Low SES women almost entirely uninvestigated – Participants might not have accurately remembered all aspects of early adult lives The Social Clock • Age-graded expectations for life events • Women born in the 1930s followed at 27 yrs and 43 years – Those starting families earlier (in mid 20s or earlier) became more responsible, self-controlled, tolerant, and nurturant, but declined in self-esteem, and felt more vulnerable as life progressed – Those who followed career timetable typical for men became more dominant, sociable, independent, and intellectually effective – Women who had neither by 30 suffered from self-doubt, feelings of incompetence and loneliness – Problem with current societal expectations? Loneliness • The unhappiness that results from a gap between the social relationships we currently have and those we desire • May occur if one lacks an intimate partner or gratifying relationships with others • Peaks during late teens and early twenties, declines steadily into the seventies • If persistent, associated with a wide array of self-defeating attitudes and behaviors