Chapter 22 Introduction

Adulthood: Psychosocial Development

  • Personality Development in Adulthood
    • Theories of Adult Personality
    • Personality Traits
    • OPPOSING PERSPECTIVES: Local Context Versus Genes
  • Intimacy: Family and Friends
    • Friends and Acquaintances
    • Family Bonds
  • Intimacy: Romantic Partners
    • Marriage and Happiness
    • Partnerships over the Years
    • Gay and Lesbian Partners
    • Divorce and Remarriage
  • Generativity
    • Parenthood
    • Caregiving
    • Employment
    • A VIEW FROM SCIENCE: Accommodating Diversity

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WHAT WILL YOU KNOW?

  1. Do adults still have the personality they had as infants?

    Infants are born with a temperament that does not vanish over time. Research indicates that there is remarkable continuity in one’s personality throughout the lifespan, although experiences and cultural context can impact the way personality traits are expressed in adulthood.

  2. When is it better to divorce than to stay married?

    If it ends an abusive, destructive relationship, then divorce usually benefits at least one spouse and the children. However, in most cases, income, family welfare, and self-esteem are decreased among the formerly married compared to people of the same age who are still married or who have always been single. In addition, for divorced men, their intimacy needs are especially at risk.

  3. When is it better to be unemployed than to have a job?

    It’s never better to lose one’s job with no replacement on the horizon. Research indicates that is better to have a job than be unemployed. Unemployment is associated with higher rates of child abuse, alcoholism, depression, and many other social and mental health problems. Adults have many psychosocial needs fulfilled through employment. Relocation for employment may reduce both intimacy and generativity, so in some cases when relocation is necessary for employment, it may be better to be unemployed than employed.

I broke two small bones in my pelvis—a mishap I caused myself: I was rushing, wearing old smooth-soled shoes, carrying papers, in the rain, after dark, stepping up a curb. I fell hard on the sidewalk. That led to a 911 call, an ambulance, five hospital days, five rehab days, heartfelt admiration for the physical therapists who got me walking, and deep appreciation of colleagues who taught my classes for two weeks.

I mention that minor event because it spotlights generativity. My four children, adults now, cared for me far beyond what I thought I needed. The two nearby daughters, Elissa and Sarah, were at the emergency room within an hour. Rachel flew in from Minnesota and bought me new shoes with slip-proof treads. Bethany drove down from Connecticut with planters, dirt, flowers, and trees to beautify my home. That was not all. They brought me books and my computer; questioned nurses and doctors; repeatedly phoned insurance providers; filled prescriptions; rearranged my bathroom; scheduled taxis; pushed my wheelchair; did laundry, shopping, cooking, cleaning.

It was hard to accept help. I told my friends, “No visitors.” One laughed, “You are stuck in bed, I am coming.” I hoped to return quickly to the classroom because I said “my students need me.” But after several days, I realized I needed them as much as, or more, than vice versa. I now am glad my friend overruled me and grateful that my daughters did all they did.

Again and again I was reminded that generativity is mutual: People need to receive as well as to give.

That is a theme of this chapter, which focuses on the many interactions that mark adult lives: partnering and parenting, mating and mentoring. Each individual charts his or her own path, always aided by everyone else. We begin, then, with the personality traits that endure, we continue with some of the ways people support each other, and we end with the complexities of combining work and family.