Slides Week 7 Flashcards
1
Q
Social Development in Adults
A
- Normative Crisis Models
- Timing of Events Models
2
Q
Development Through Work
A
- Entering the Workforce
- Career Exploration
- Evaluation of theories or Career Exploration
- Changes in Career Satisfaction
- Retirement from Workforce
3
Q
Love and Work
A
- Research that have attemptsto account for the changes in social development
- Occur from young adulthood to older adulthood
- TWO models have been adopted:
- Normative crisis model.
- Timing of events model.
- These themes are not surprising.
- Research on life meaning and purpose shows that relationships and career are what give meaning to life for adults
- This is across sexes and age groups in adulthood,
- Baum & Stewart, 1990
4
Q
Normative Crisis Models
A
- Erikson (1953, 1968).
- Levinson (1980).
- Have been highly influential in developmental psychology.
- Argues that one moves through fixed stages, each tied to age
- Specific crises leads to growth (through resolution)
- Critics: outdated as these models are based on traditional models of family & work
5
Q
Ground Plan, Crises & Resolution
A
- There is an inbuilt ground plan to human development (i.e., definite age related sequences)
- This ground plan establishes a series of crises appropriate to particular phases of human life that need to be resolved.
- If crises are resolved, development proceeds to the next stage.
- If crises are not resolved, development may stagnate, although later revision of crises in response to life events is always possible.
- Consequences: life satisfaction and psychological well-being
6
Q
Seasons of A Man’s Life
A
- Levinson (1980):
- Theory has had huge impact upon the ways in which adult life is understood.
- Based on longitudinal study of 40 middle-aged men, aged 35 years to 45 years beginning in 1969.
- Did a subsequent study on women (Levinson, 1996) and found the stages, transitions, and crises invariant for women
- Included no statistical analyses, however quality and quantity of data were rich and detailed
7
Q
Eras and Transitions
A
- Levinson surmised a sequence of alternating age-linked eras and transitional periods
- Each era consists of developmental tasks to be negotiated.
- Considered to be stable, structure-building
- individual settles down to pursue key goals, values, life activities
- Build on experiences gained in the previous transitional period
- Each transitional period involves the termination of an existing life structure
- Individual must reappraise and modify certain aspects of life, so that a life structure can be initiated
- Follow eras, and can consist of a crisis period
8
Q
Levinson’s Developmental Periods (5)
A
- Childhood and adolescence: birth to 20
- Early adulthood: 17-45
- Middle adulthood: 40-65
- Late adulthood: 60+
- Late adult transition: 60-65
9
Q
Levinson - Early Adult Transition
A
- Age 17-22
- Entry life structure for early adulthood 33-40
- Age 30 Transition 28-33
- Entry site structure for early adulthood 22-28
10
Q
Mid-Life Transition: Age 40-45
A
- Culminating life structure for middle adulthood 55-60
- Age 50 transition 50-55
- Entry life structure for middle adulthood 45-50
11
Q
Early Adult Transition
A
- Age 17-22 years
- This era establishes a bridge between adolescence and adulthood
- Reffered to as emerging adulthood
- Arnett 2001
- New possibilities of the adulthood explored and tentative choices made.
-
Primary task:
- Change of life structure by altering relationships with parents and institutions, so that self-sufficiency is established.
- “Have I made the right decisions to enter adult life?”
12
Q
Entering the Adult World
A
- 23 years – 28 years.
- Young adults build and test a preliminary life structure
- Integrate work, love, and community to attain their ‘Dream’.
- Developmental tasks of this stage include:
- Choosing an occupation.
- Marriage.
- Establishing a home and family.
- Joining civic and social groups.
- Interestingly, Levinson found women had greater difficulty forming the dream compared to men
13
Q
Two Important Aspects of Entering the Adult World
A
The Dream
- A tentative map for the future to guide the building of subsequent life structures.
The Mentor
- An individual who is approximately 8 to 15 years older than the individual.
- Assists the individual in discovering ways of fulfilling the ‘Dream’ by providing support and inspiration.
- “What choices do I want to make?”
- Interestingly, Levinson found women had greater difficulty forming the dream compared to men
14
Q
Age 30 Transition
A
- A stable life structure has been created
- Forces individuals to question the choices and commitments that they have made
- Many individuals experience a developmental crisis during this period of their lives:
- Their present life structure is intolerable.
- “Is my career or lifestyle what I truly desire?”
- This crisis may lead to a radical change in life direction:
- Women who have been engaged in home duties often commence a career.
- Women who have been engaged in a career become concerned with issues of relationships and families.
15
Q
Settling Down and Becoming Your “Own Man”
A
- Culminating life structure for early adulthood
- 33 years – 40 years.
- TWO developmental tasks:
- Build a second life structure.
- Within this life structure, work towards the dream.
- “What niche would I like to establish in society and how would I like to progress in my career and family life? What kind of parent would I like to be?”
16
Q
Two Subtasks: Becoming Your Own Man
A
- Establish oneself in society
- Work towards advancement
SubStage - Becoming One’s Own Man 36-40 Years
- Ambition Peaks
- Individual attains greater authority
- Goal orientation increases
- Individual becomes more independent
17
Q
Mid-Life Transition
A
- 40 years – 45 years
- THREE tasks of this transition:
- Reappraisal.
- Integration.
- Creation of new life structure for the successful negotiation of mid-life.
- “What meaning and direction do I want in my life in order to meet my values? What additional talents would I like to cultivate? How can I work towards leaving a legacy?”
18
Q
Reappraisal
A
- Individual must reapprise lifestyle and goals
- Critical examination of existing life structure
- Realisation of own mortality
- Time is limited and must be used wisely
19
Q
Integration (4)
A
Four great polarities must be integrated within the self
- Young/Old
- Destructive/Constructive
- Masculine/Feminine
- Attachment/Separation
20
Q
Integration - Young/Old
A
- Individual is neither young or old but feels both
- Must relinquish youth
- Enable challenges of Middle Age to be embraced
21
Q
Integration - Destructive/Constructive
A
- Awareness of the transitory nature of things
- Aware of destructive actions in the past that have hurt others.
- Desire to be constructive through leaving a legacy.
- Link to Erikson’s notion of generativity
22
Q
Integration - Masculine/Feminine
A
- Awareness of, and integration of opposite gendered qualities in self
- i.e.,
- for men – qualities of nurturance, emotion;
- for women – qualities of assertiveness, power
23
Q
Integration - Attachment/Separation
A
- Integration of the need for connection with others
- Also need for solitude and separateness
24
Q
Creation of New Life Structure
A
80% of men noted that this period represents great struggle/crisis in areas of:
- Career.
- Marriage.
- The Dream.
- Mentoring.
25
Q
Entering Middle Adulthood
A
- 45 years – 50 years
- Creation of new life structure for middle age.
- “What new tasks would I like to take on? How can I be at peace with myself and others as I reflect on my life?”
- Coping with ageing/dying parents.
- Growing knowledge of own mortality.
- Making a deeper commitment to the younger generation.
- Coping with “Boomerang Kids”/ Sandwich Squeeze
- A recent survey by Ameritrade (2019) revealed 50% of young millennials planning to move back home after university
26
Q
Age 50 Transition
A
- 50 years - 55 years.
- Individuals who did not progress through their mid-life crisis at 40 years tend to experience the crisis in this stage of development.
- Assessing and improving career structure.
27
Q
Subsequent Stages
A
- Culmination of middle adulthood (55 years - 60 years).
- Achieving the goals formulated at age 50 (Stable period)
- Late adult transition (60 years - 65 years).
- Preparing for retirement (transitional)
- Late adulthood (65 years +).
- Retirement (stable)
28
Q
Development of Women
A
- Roberts & Newton (1987):
- Development of women at mid-life.
- 12 women, aged 44 years - 53 years.
- Applied Levinson’s framework to an analysis of these women’s lives.
- Women experience similar developmental changes to those experienced by men
- Mid-life transition less clear-cut dividing line for women:
- Life continues to be unstable after transition.
- Women had not reached point in their careers where could assess achievements and make clear change in direction
30
Q
Midlife Crisis
A
- Reality or Myth?
- Mixed results
- Evidence to suggest that for majority of people, transition is smooth and rewarding.
- Cheng, Powdthavee & Oswald (2014) Tracked happiness across three countries
- Studied England, Australia, Germany over multiple decades
- Evidence for a ‘U shaped’ pattern
42
Q
5 Stages of Super’s Career Development Theory
A
- Growth (Birth – 14 years).
- Exploration (14 years – 25 years).
- Establishment (25 years – 45 years).
- Maintenance (45 years – 65 years).
- Decline or disengagement (65 years +).
- People cycle through each of these stages when they go through career transition
