Exam 4 Material Flashcards
Single Adults-Advantages
-time to make life decisions and develop resources
-autonomy-pursue own schedule and interests
-opportunities and privacy
Single Adults-Challenges
-forming intimate relationships with other adults
-confronting loneliness
-finding a niche-marriage oriented society
Generational Shift
-more men interested in marriage and family
-more women interested in independence
Many single adults are looking for love, not marriage. (T/F)
true
Cohabitation
living together in a sexual relationship without being married
-some see it as a precursor for marriage, others as an ongoing lifestyle
-males concerned with loss of freedom; women concerned about delays in getting married
Why would older adults cohabitate?
for companionship and/or to keep assets separate
-more positive/stable relationships than younger adults who cohabitate
-less likely to receive partner care than married older adults
Reasons for Cohabitation
-spend time together
-share expenses
-evaluate compatibility
Difficulties in Cohabitation
-disapproval
-difficulty purchasing property jointly
-difficulty during dissolution-legal rights?
Transition from Dating to Cohabitation
-more commitment
-less satisfaction
-more negative communication
-more physical aggression
What has made relationships more fragile and intense?
changing norm of male-female equality in marriage and high expectations for marriages have produced relationships that are more fragile and intense
In seeking a spouse, never-married Americans look for:
-similar ideas about having and raising children
-steady job
-at least as much education
-same racial or ethnic background
The Good Marriage
-individuals who are happily married live longer, healthier lives
-unhappy marriage can shorten a person’s life by an average of 4 years
-married individuals have the best cardiovascular profile; single men have the worst
-married men consistently report being “happier” than married women
Predictors of Success in Marriage
-establishing love maps
-nurturing fondness and admiration
-turning toward each other instead of away
-letting your partner influence you
-overcoming gridlock
-creating shared meaning
Marriages that work depend on developing a ________, ___________, and ____________
deep friendship, showing respect for each other, and embracing commitment
Premarital Education
linked to marital satisfaction and commitment, lower conflict, and lower likelihood of divorce
Social Context
contexts w/in a culture and across cultures are powerful influences on marriage
-age of marriage and whether marriages are arranged
-whether domesticity or chastity in valued
-whether religion plays a role in marital preferences
Marriage through the Lifespan-Middle Adulthood
some that were difficult during early adulthood improved in middle adulthood
-partners develop solid foundations
-fewer financial worries
-less housework and chores-children self-sufficient
-more time to spend w/ each other
-mutual activities-positive
In ______, most married individuals report being _______ w/ being married.
midlife; satisfied
Marriage through the Lifespan-Late Adulthood
-in late adulthood, married individuals are happier, less distressed, and live longer
-older adults are more satisfied w/ their marriages than young or middle-aged adults
-in late adulthood, married individuals are more likely to have to care for a sick partner w/ a limiting health condition
*stress of caring for a spouse can place demands in intimacy
Factors that Contribute to Divorce
-youthful marriages, low education levels, low income, no religious affiliation, parents who are divorced, and having a baby before marriage
-alcoholism, psychological problems, domestic violence, infidelity, and inadequate divisions of household labor
-low levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness
-high levels of neuroticism and openness to experience`
Adjustment Problems from Divorce
loneliness, diminished self-esteem, anxiety about the unknown, and difficulty forming new intimate relationships
-risk for psychological and physical difficulties
-one of more common characteristics of divorced adults is difficulty trusting someone else in a romantic relationship
________ are more likely to seek a divorce.
Women
-sense something is wrong w/ marriage
-show better emotional adjustment than men
-divorce is seen as offering a “second chance”
-typically experience more negative economic impact from divorce than men
_________, ___________, ____________ have led to an increase in remarriage among older adults.
rising divorce rates, increased longevity, and better health
Main Reasons Women Give for Divorce
-verbal, physical, or emotional abuse
-alcohol or drug abuse
-cheating
Main Reasons Men Give for Divorce
-no obvious problem, just fell out of love
-cheating
-different values or lifestyles
Alternative Lifestyles-Gay and Lesbian Couples
-in many ways, gay and lesbian relationships are similar to heterosexual relationships
*need to find balance of romantic love, affection, autonomy, equality for both partners
*many create families with children
-lesbian couples especially place a high priority on equality in their relationships
*both gay and lesbian couples more flexible in their gender roles
*partners show greater relationship quality than heterosexual couples, share more responsibilities
Misconceptions about Gay and Lesbian Couples
-in only a small percentage, one partner is masculine and the other feminine
-only a small segment of the population has a large number of sexual parents
-do prefer long-term and committed relationships, although about half of gay couples (not lesbian) have open relationships
Microsystem
setting in which the individual lives
-family, school, peers
Mesosystem
links between the microsystem
Exosystem
influences from another setting that the individual does not experience directly
-friends of family, neighbors
Macrosystem
culture in which the individual lives
Chronosystem
sociohistorical circumstances that change over time, events and transitions over life course
Reciprocal Socialization
bidirectional socialization
-children socialize parents just as parents socialize children-transactional
Family can be thought of as….
a constellation of subsystems defined in terms of generation, gender, and role
Dyadic Subsystem
involving 2 people
Polyadic Subsystem
involving more than 2 people
Advantages of Having Kids Early (20s)
-more physical energy
-fewer medical problems
-fewer expectations for children
Advantages of Having Kids Later (30s)
-more time to consider goals in life
-more mature, competent parents-more life experiences
-established careers
-higher income
Parents as Managers-Infancy and Childhood
during infancy parents manage and guide behavior
-includes corrective feedback and discipline
parents can serve as regulators of opportunities for the children’s activities
-mothers are more likely than fathers
-family-management practices related to students’ grades and self-responsibility
Parents as Managers-Adolescence
monitoring especially important as children move into adolescent years
-choice of social settings, activities, friends, academic effort
adolescents manage parent’s access to information, disclosing or concealing details of their activities
-adolescents more likely to disclose information when parents engage in positive parenting practices
Authoritarian Parenting Style
-demands blind obedience
-punitive, emotionally cold
-high expectations
-low responsiveness and high demandingness
-best for males
Authoritative Parenting Style
-clear, consistent boundaries
-open communication
-nurturing and affectionate
-high expectations
-high demandingness and high responsiveness
-best style
Uninvolved Parenting Style
-inconsistent or low expectations
-absent-little interaction
-uninterested and emotional detached
-low responsiveness and low demandingness
-worst style
Permissive Parenting Style
-low expectations, lenient
-few boundaries
-acts like child’s best friend
-avoids confrontations
-low demandingness and high responsiveness
Authoritative parenting is linked w/ _____________ across a range of ethnic groups, social strata, cultures, and family structures
child competence
-however, research w/ ethnic groups suggests that some aspects of the authoritarian style can also be associated with positive child outcomes
Caveat
2 parents may have different styles and many parents use a combination of styles
Coparenting
support that parents provide one another in jointly raising the child
-children are placed at risk for some problems like
*poor coordination between parents
*undermining of the other parent
*lack of cooperation and warmth
*disconnection by one parent
Consequences of Child Maltreatment
-poor emotional regulation
-attachment and peer relation problems
-difficulty adapting to school
-psychological problems
Parent-Adolescent Conflict
escalates during early adolescence
-conflict usually involves issues of everyday life, rarely involved major dilemmas like drugs or delinquency
-conflicts become less frequent in late adolescence
factors that contribute to rise in conflict
-biological changes of puberty
-cognitive changes-increased idealism and logical reasoning
-social changes focused on independence and identity
-maturational changes in parents
-expectations violated by parent and adolescents
Children from Divorced Families
-poorer adjustment-academic, relationship, and esteem issues
-majority do not have serious problem
-problems may stem as much from marital conflict as from divorce
Emotional Security Theory
children appraise marital conflict-sense of security and safety`
Empty Nest Syndrome
when all the children have left the parental home
-for most, increasing marital satisfaction, as the couple has more time to pursue careers, other interests, and more time for each other
Midlife Generation
middle-aged adults- the “sandwich” “squeezed” or “overload” generation
-responsibilities both to adolescent and young adult children and to aging parents
-many experience considerable stress when elderly parents become ill and die
Peer
individuals of about the same age of maturity level
-source of information and comparison beyond family
-provide feedback about one’s abilities
-
Peers can _____ parent’s value and control
undermine
Autonomy from peers predicts success in ___________ but difficulty __________
avoiding problem behaviors; establishing strong friendships
Friendship
can provide companionship, stimulation, ego support, social comparison, affection, and intimacy
Play
a pleasurable activity engaged in for its own sake
Toddlerhood-Peers and Play
around 3 yrs, same-sex playmates preferred
-continues to increase as children age
-frequency of both positive and negative peer interactions increase
Early Childhood-Peers and Play
-reciprocity become important in early elementary
-distinguish between friends and nonfriends
Play Developmentally Important
-advances in cognitive development
-symbolic and make-believe aspects of play
-satisfies exploratory drive
-supports language and communication skills`
Middle and Late Childhood-Peers and Play
-amount of time w/ peers increases
-size of peer groups increase
-less parental supervision