Chp. 16

Self and Well-Being

-in midlife, perception of, and adaptation to, age-related physical changes are important influences on the sense of self and well-being -some midlife adults exaggerate the changes as deeper and more pervasive than they are; others deny changes and fail to see how their bodies have aged -midlife adults who subjectively view themselves as younger than their chronological age tend to score higher on measures of well-being, mental health and life satisfaction

Midlife crisis

A stressful time in the early to middle 40s when adults are thought to evaluate their lives, term arose in the 1970s, Daniel Levinson's Seasons of Life (1978)

28-33 Transition

Adults reconsider their life structure

Self- Concept

Becoming more complex and integrated, integrate autobiographical information and experiences into their self-description, adults tend to consistently identify with their younger selves

Self-Growth

By middle adulthood, most people realize that their time and life opportunities are limited and they become motivated to balance images of their possible selves with their experiences in order to find meaning and happiness in their lives, important time of...

Possible Selves

Conceptions of who we might become in the future, motivator of behavior from middle adulthood into older adulthood

Generativity

Concern and sense of responsibility for future generations and society as a whole. Expressed through child-rearing, expands to include a commitment to community and society at large

Themes of a Midlife Crisis

Deal with failure to achieve the dreams of youth and decide how to restructure life

Associations of Divorce

Decreases in life satisfaction, heightened risk for range of illnesses, and even a 20-30% increase for early death

Openness

Degree to which one is open to experiences, ranging from curious, explorative, and creative to disinterested, uncreative, and not open to new experiences

Season's of Life

Each season begins with a transition period lasting about 5 years when individuals conclude tasks of the prior stage and prepare for the next set of challenges

Agreeableness

Includes descriptors such as trusting, cooperative, helpful, caring behaviors and attitudes toward others. Individuals who are low are seen as difficult, unhelpful, oppositional, and stingy

Extroversion

Includes social outgoingness, high activity, enthusiastic interest, and assertive tendencies. This trait is related to positive emotionality. On the opposite pole, descriptors include social withdrawal and constrictedness

Androgyny

Integrating masculine and feminine characteristics, provides adults with a greater repertoire of skills for meeting the demands of midlife, predicts positive adjustment and is associated with high self-esteem, advanced moral reasoning, psychosocial maturity, and life satisfaction

Divorce

Most marriages that end do so withing the first 10 years

Friendships

Most spend more time with family rather than friends, continue to be important sources of social support and are associated with well-being, positive affect, and self-esteem

40-45 Transition

Reexamine their dream established in early adulthood and evaluate their success in achieving it

Feared Self

Self we hope to never become

Stagnation

Self-absorption that interferes with personal growth and prevents them from contributing to the welfare of others

Conscientiousness

Tendency to be responsible, disciplined, task oriented, and planful. This trait relates to effortful self-regulation. Individuals low in this trait tend to be irresponsible, impulsive, and inattentive

Gender Identity

Tends to become more fluid and integrated

Marital Satisfaction

Tends to increase over the middle adult years as child-rearing tasks and stress decline, family incomes rise, and spouses are better at understanding each other and have more time to spend with each other

Neuroticism

Trait relates to negative emotionality . Descriptors include moodiness, fear, worry, insecurity, and irritability. Opposite pole includes traits such as self-confidence.

17-22 Transition

We construct our life structure by creating a dream, an image of what we are to be in the adult world which then guides our life choices

80%

What percentage of adults are married by age 45?

90%

What percentage of adults are married by age 60?

95%

What percentage of adults are married by age 80?

10-20%

What percentage of adults have reported experiencing a midlife crisis?

10%

What percentage of marriages break up after 20+ years?

Nearly 95%

What percentage of middle-aged adults report having long term friends?

Men

Who adopts more traditionally feminine characteristics such as being sensitive, considerate, and dependent?

Women

Who adopts more traditionally masculine characteristics such as confidence, self-reliance, and boldness?

Women

Who are more likely to initiate divorce and once done fare better than those who do not?

Women

Who tends to hold more youthful self-conceptions and are more optimistic about their cognitive abilities

Glass Sealing

Women and minority members face may translate into lower rates of job satisfaction as fewer opportunities for career advancement contribute to a sense of inequality and dissatisfaction

22-28 Transition

Young adults then work to realize their dreams and construct the resulting life structure