Explain What Themes And Influences Mark Our Social Journey From Early Adulthood
Social Development
What themes and influences mark our social journey from early adulthood to death?
As people enter their 40s, they undergo a transition to middle adulthood, when they realize that life will soon be mostly behind them. Some argue that this is a midlife crisis. But the fact is that unhappiness, job dissatisfaction, marital dissatisfaction, and suicide don't surge during the early 40s. For the 1/4 adults who do report experiencing a life crisis, the trigger isn't age, but a major event, like an illness or job loss. effeb5c6a99b9c10e9a619dd642a38dd.png ¬
Life events trigger transitions to new life stages at varying ages. The social clock ("right time" to leave home, get a job, marry, retire) varies from era to era and culture to culture, especially for women. The social clock still ticks but people are more okay with being out of sync with it. Even chance events can have …show more content…
lasting significance because they often lead us down another path (ie. romantic attractions). Chance events can change our lives. If you had an identical twin whom you were similar to in all aspects, would you feel attracted to their significant other? 1/2 said no. Researchers say that you can become attracted to anyone who has a similar background and attractiveness who also likes you back.
Adulthood's Commitments
Two basic aspects of our lives dominate adulthood, called intimacy (forming close relationships) and generativity (being productive and supporting future generations) by Erik Erikson.
Sigmund Freud: "The health adult is one who can love and work."
We typically commit one person at a time. From an evolutionary perspective, monogamous pairing makes sense (parents who cooperated to nurture children more often passed on their genes to future generation). Bonds of love are most satisfying and enduring with a similarity of interests and values, emotional and material spot, and intimate self-disclosure. Those who commit with marriage more often endure, esp. after age 20. The divorce rate is 2x higher than 40 years ago, reflecting women's lessened economic dependence and people's rising expectations. Studies show that those who live together before marriage have higher rates of divorce and marital dysfunction because cohabiters tend to be initially less committed to the ideal of enduring marriage and then they become even less supporting during the
process.
Still, 9/10 adults marry, and marriage is a predictor of happiness and health. Marriages that last aren't always devoid of conflict. Some fight but also praise one another. John Gottman said that one indicator of marital success was at least of 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. As children begin to absorb time, money, and energy, satisfaction with the marriage may decline. When children leave home, this can be difficult, but for most, those in an empty nest are happier. Many experience a "post-launch honeymoon."
This moment is the oldest you have ever been and the youngest you will ever be. The most common answer when asked what people would do differently was to take their education more seriously, telling parents that they loved them. From the teens to midlife, people typically experience an increased sense of identity, confidence, and self-esteem. In later life, challenges like income shrinks, body deterioration, etc. arise. But surveys confirm that happiness is slightly higher in younger and older adults than in middle-aged. Older adults use more positive words and pay less attention to negative information. The amygdala shows less activity for negative events but the same responsiveness to positive events. The bad feelings from negative events fade faster than the good feelings from positive events.
4d224b9a9f71c36b8f60073564e8ddca.png ¬0683c66d71cbd238cf26ab31d95230de.png ¬
Although life satisfaction doesn't decline with age, it waves in the terminal decline phase as death approaches. Highs are less high and lows are less low (more mellow). As adults advance in age, their positive and negative moods become less extreme and more enduring. As we age, life is less of an emotional roller coaster.
Death and Dying
Usually, the most difficult separation is from a spouse. When death comes at an expected late-life time, the grieving may be short-lived. But even 20 years after losing a spouse, people still talk about the partner at least once a month. Grief is especially severe when the death of a love one is sudden and unexpected. For some, the loss is unbearable. Terminally ill people do not go through identical predictable stages, like denial then anger. Those who do express the strongest grief also do not immediately purge their grief more quickly. Self-help groups offer support, but time and support can also help healing, as can helping others.
What themes and influences mark our social journey from early adulthood to death?
As people enter their 40s, they undergo a transition to middle adulthood, when they realize that life will soon be mostly behind them. Some argue that this is a midlife crisis. But the fact is that unhappiness, job dissatisfaction, marital dissatisfaction, and suicide don't surge during the early 40s. For the 1/4 adults who do report experiencing a life crisis, the trigger isn't age, but a major event, like an illness or job loss. effeb5c6a99b9c10e9a619dd642a38dd.png ¬
Life events trigger transitions to new life stages at varying ages. The social clock ("right time" to leave home, get a job, marry, retire) varies from era to era and culture to culture, especially for women. The social clock still ticks but people are more okay with being out of sync with it. Even chance events can have …show more content…
lasting significance because they often lead us down another path (ie. romantic attractions). Chance events can change our lives. If you had an identical twin whom you were similar to in all aspects, would you feel attracted to their significant other? 1/2 said no. Researchers say that you can become attracted to anyone who has a similar background and attractiveness who also likes you back.
Adulthood's Commitments
Two basic aspects of our lives dominate adulthood, called intimacy (forming close relationships) and generativity (being productive and supporting future generations) by Erik Erikson.
Sigmund Freud: "The health adult is one who can love and work."
We typically commit one person at a time. From an evolutionary perspective, monogamous pairing makes sense (parents who cooperated to nurture children more often passed on their genes to future generation). Bonds of love are most satisfying and enduring with a similarity of interests and values, emotional and material spot, and intimate self-disclosure. Those who commit with marriage more often endure, esp. after age 20. The divorce rate is 2x higher than 40 years ago, reflecting women's lessened economic dependence and people's rising expectations. Studies show that those who live together before marriage have higher rates of divorce and marital dysfunction because cohabiters tend to be initially less committed to the ideal of enduring marriage and then they become even less supporting during the
process.
Still, 9/10 adults marry, and marriage is a predictor of happiness and health. Marriages that last aren't always devoid of conflict. Some fight but also praise one another. John Gottman said that one indicator of marital success was at least of 5:1 ratio of positive to negative interactions. As children begin to absorb time, money, and energy, satisfaction with the marriage may decline. When children leave home, this can be difficult, but for most, those in an empty nest are happier. Many experience a "post-launch honeymoon."
This moment is the oldest you have ever been and the youngest you will ever be. The most common answer when asked what people would do differently was to take their education more seriously, telling parents that they loved them. From the teens to midlife, people typically experience an increased sense of identity, confidence, and self-esteem. In later life, challenges like income shrinks, body deterioration, etc. arise. But surveys confirm that happiness is slightly higher in younger and older adults than in middle-aged. Older adults use more positive words and pay less attention to negative information. The amygdala shows less activity for negative events but the same responsiveness to positive events. The bad feelings from negative events fade faster than the good feelings from positive events.
4d224b9a9f71c36b8f60073564e8ddca.png ¬0683c66d71cbd238cf26ab31d95230de.png ¬
Although life satisfaction doesn't decline with age, it waves in the terminal decline phase as death approaches. Highs are less high and lows are less low (more mellow). As adults advance in age, their positive and negative moods become less extreme and more enduring. As we age, life is less of an emotional roller coaster.
Death and Dying
Usually, the most difficult separation is from a spouse. When death comes at an expected late-life time, the grieving may be short-lived. But even 20 years after losing a spouse, people still talk about the partner at least once a month. Grief is especially severe when the death of a love one is sudden and unexpected. For some, the loss is unbearable. Terminally ill people do not go through identical predictable stages, like denial then anger. Those who do express the strongest grief also do not immediately purge their grief more quickly. Self-help groups offer support, but time and support can also help healing, as can helping others.