HUMAN DEVELOPMENTCOLLEGE OF PUBLIC AND COMMUNITY SERVICEUNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AT BOSTON

©2009 WILLIAM HOLMES

EARLY ADULT DEVELOPMENT:

PART 21

CHANGES IN MARITAL BEHAVIOR: 12

Marriage at older age—27, men; 25 women (2003)

Unmarried increasing—86%, 20-24 year olds

Cohabiting increasing—numbers and percent

Cohabiting more tied to marriageMarriage more civil, less

religious

CHANGES IN MARITAL BEHAVIOR: 23

More mixed marriages, except for class

Increase in homosexual marriageMore divorceMore remarriageFewer children, more only

childrenLater age at first birth

EARLY ADULT PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT: 1

Levinson Life Course TheorySequence of erasLife structure building and

changingNovice phase of early adulthood

1. Obtaining a dream2. Finding a mentor3. Finding a vocation/occupation4. Establishing a love relationship

4

EARLY ADULT PERSONEL DEVELOPMENT: 2

Erikson’s sixth stage of development—intimacy and solidarity versus isolation

1.Mutuality of intimacy2.Sharing with a loved partner3.Sharing with other sex4.Sharing mutual trust5.Able to regulate work,

procreation, recreation

5

EARLY ADULT GENDER ROLES

Solidification of gender identityGender-role orientation—confidence

in identityGender-role preference—discomfort

in identityGender-role adaptation—behavioral

conformityGenes, adaptation, and biology

factorsSocial, religious, and political factors

6

ADULT GENDER DIFFERENCES

Fight or flight versus bend-and-bond

Machismo versus feminismAbstinence versus hooking-upAttractiveness versus

occupation, values, and children

Work, childrearing, romance, and sexuality

7

DEVELOPING ADULT LOVE

Sternberg—passion, intimacy, commitmentLiking—intimacyInfatuation—passionEmpty—commitmentRomantic—intimacy and passionFatuous—commitment and passionCompanionate—commitment and intimacyConsummate—commitment, intimacy, and

passionate

8

DEVELOPING ADULT RELATIONSHIPS

Attending to the relationship in the present

Acceptance of ourselves and others as we are

Appreciation of ourselves and others

Affection with othersAllowing things of be,

without controlling others

9

Richo, 2002.