Unit 7 - Adulthood

• Adult development


  Changes that occur in biological and psychological domains of human life from the end of adolescence until the end of one's life
• These changes may be gradual or rapid, and can reflect positive, negative, or no change from previous levels of functioning
• Changes occur at the cellular level and are partially explained by biological theories of adult development and aging
• Biological changes influence psychological and interpersonal/social developmental changes, which are often described by stage theories of human development
• Adulthood


  Has legal and socio-cultural definitions
• Legal definition of an adult

  A person who has reached the age at which they are considered responsible for their own actions, and therefore legally accountable for them
• Age of majority


  Age 18 in most cultures, although there is variation from 16 to 21
• Socio-cultural definition of being an adult

  Based on what a culture normatively views as being the required criteria for adulthood, which in turn influences the life of individuals within that culture
• Erik Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development


  Erikson developed stages of ego development that extended through childhood, adolescence and adulthood
• Erikson believed that social interaction is very important to the individual's psychosocial development
• Erikson's stage theory


  Consists of 8 stages in life from birth to old age, each of which is characterized by a specific developmental task
• During each stage, one developmental task is dominant, but may be carried forward into later stages as well
• Intimacy vs. Isolation


  Young adults need to form intimate, loving relationships with other people. Success leads to strong relationships, while failure results in loneliness and isolation
• Generativity Versus Stagnation Stage

  People consider their contributions to family, community, work, and society. Generativity = looking beyond oneself to continuation of one's life through others, Stagnation = focusing on the triviality of their life
• Integrity Vs. Despair Stage


  Process of looking back over one's life, evaluating it, and coming to terms with it. Integrity comes when people feel they have realized and fulfilled the possibilities that have come their way, Despair occurs when people feel dissatisfied with their life, and experience gloom, unhappiness, depression, anger, or the feeling that they have failed
• Daniel Levinson's Theory


  Psychologist Daniel Levinson developed a comprehensive theory of adult development, the Seasons of Life theory identified stages and growth that occur well into the adult years
• Midlife Crisis


  Stage of uncertainty and indecision brought about by realization that life is finite
• Non-Midlife Crisis


  For majority of people, transition is smooth and rewarding. Many middle-aged people find their careers have blossomed, they feel younger than reality
• Factors That Help Marriage Succeed

  • Relative maturity of both partners at the time the they marry, Low financial security and pregnancy at the time of marriage, Couples that share similar values, goals, attitudes, socioeconomic status, and ethnic backgrounds increases the likelihood that their marriage will succeed, The feeling that the marriage is equal, Happy marriages involve fair exchange, or equity, in all dimensions of the relationships
• Establishing Marriage – Keeping Marriages Happy

  Make time for you relationship, Express you love to your spouse, Be there in times of need, Communicate constructively and positively about problems in the relationship, Be interested in your spouse's life, Confide in your spouse, Forgive minor offence and try to understand major ones
• Parenting skills do not come naturally; they must be acquired
• Parenting is full of rewards it also takes a great deal of work
• It is demanding and sometimes causes disagreements over the division of labor if both parents are working outside of home
• It is important to learn how to compromise, and to learn when to apply firm but fair discipline
• Given a choice, most parents do not regret the choice of having decided to have children
• People worldwide are living longer. Today most people can expect to live into their sixties and beyond
• Every country in the world is experiencing growth in both the size and the proportion of older persons in the population
• All countries face major challenges to ensure that their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift
• In 2050, 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries
• The pace of population ageing is much faster than in the past
• In 2020, people aged 60 years and older outnumbered children younger than 5 years
• Between 2015 & 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%
• Ageing


  At the biological level, ageing results from the impact of the accumulation of a wide variety of molecular and cellular damage over time
• Decrease in physical and mental capacity, a growing risk of disease and ultimately death
• These changes are neither linear nor consistent, and they are only loosely associated with a person's age in years
• The diversity seen in older age is not random
• Beyond biological changes, ageing is often associated with other life transitions such as retirement, relocation to more appropriate housing and the death of friends and partners
• Common health conditions associated with ageing


  • Hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia
• As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time
• Geriatric syndromes


  Complex health states that are often the consequence of multiple underlying factors and include frailty, urinary incontinence, falls, delirium and pressure ulcers