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What makes us tick? Social Clocks of Adulthood - milestones of development - marriage? - children? Cultural influence Ravenna Helson’s research found that women become more focused as they age whether family oriented or career oriented, both fared well

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Seeking Intimacy: Erikson’s View of Young Adulthood INTIMACY-VERSUS-ISOLATION STAGE Intimacy = Close, intimate relationship with others Isolation = Feelings of loneliness and fearful of relationships - felt that people who did not develop traditional relationships would suffer

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To Marry or Not to Marry: That is the Question More people may be Labeled a POSSLQ – Persons of the opposite Sex living together

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Why do people choice cohabitation rather than marriage? Not ready for lifelong commitment “Practice” for marriage –Cohabitating does not necessarily mean the marriage will work out –Chances for divorce seem to be higher for those cohabitating prior to marriage Reject institution of marriage

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Divorce Around the World Increases in divorce rates are significant worldwide.

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When the Honeymoon Wanes

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Nearly half of married couples experience significant degree of conflict. Realities of daily living sink in, and they become more aware of flaws. Sources of conflict: –Separating from parents, becoming autonomous. –Some have trouble identifying with spouse, and some want to have separate identity from spouse. –Allocation of time with friends/family of origin.

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But the news is not all bad! Most married couples: –View early years of marriage as deeply satisfying – Find themselves more deeply in love than before marriage –Report newlywed period as one of happiest in entire married life

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Parenthood: Choosing to Have Children Statistics Costs Reasons 495

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What produced the decline in the US fertility rate? Availability of more reliable birth control methods Increasing numbers of working outside the home Choosing to have children later Cost of raising and educating children Fear of not being good or accessible parent 496

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Close to ¾ of married women with school-aged children work outside home. More than 50% of mothers of children under age 6 work outside home. In majority of families, both partners work, but wife generally spend more time taking care of the children. Husbands primarily perform outside chores, and women do housework, child care, meal preparation. Although husbands and wives work about same number of hours at their paying, women spend more time doing chores and child care tasks. Women’s household chores tend to be devoted to things that need immediate attention and wives may experience greater levels of anxiety and stress.

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Birth of child brings about dramatic shift in spouse's roles and sometimes decrease in marital satisfaction. Western culture’s emphasis on individualism views childrearing as primarily private enterprise. Parents in Western society are largely left without significant community support. Consequently, for many couples, strains accompanying the birth of child produce lowest level of marital satisfaction of any point in marriage. Not all couples experience decrease in marital satisfaction upon birth of child. Factors that permit couples to successfully weather stress of child: –Working to build fondness and affection towards each other. –Remaining aware of events in spouse's life and responding to those events. –Considering challenges controllable and solvable. Satisfaction closely related to state of marriage before birth of child.

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WORK: CHOOSING AND EMBARKING ON A CAREER

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Identity During Young Adulthood: Role of Work Vaillant : Career consolidation General pattern of psychological development as young adults center on careers Career concerns supplant focus on intimacy Criticisms –Highly restricted sample limits Generalizability –Dated findings questions in view of shifts in attitudes toward importance of work

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Satisfaction on the Job Satisfaction related to job status Worker satisfaction also associated with: –Nature of job –Amount of input one has into one’s duties –Influence employees have over others

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The Informed Consumer of Development Choosing a Career: Beginning Guidelines Systematically evaluate a variety of choices. Know yourself. Create a “balance sheet,” “Try out” different careers through paid or unpaid internships. Remember that if you make a mistake, you can change careers. It is reasonable to expect that careers may change throughout life.