Psychosocial development in Middle Adulthood Erikson,s Theory;Generativity Versus Stagnation According to Erikson,how does personality change in middle age?

Generativity begins in early adulthood but expands greatly as middle-aged adults face Erikson,s psychological conflict of generativity versus stagnation.Highly generative people find fulfillment as they make contributions to society through parenthood other family relationships ,the workplace, volunteer activities ,and many forms of productivity and creativity.Cultura demands and inner desires jointly shape adults generative activities .Highly generative people are especially well adjusted.

Other Theories of Psychosocial Development In Midlife Describe levinson,s and vaillants,s views of psychosocial development in middle adulthood,and discuss similarities and differences between men and women According to Levinson ,middle-aged adults reassess their relation to themselves and the external world .They must confront four developmental tasks ,each of which requires them to reconcile two opposing tendencies within the self:young old ,destruction creation ,masculinity-femininity,and engagement-separateness. Because of the double standard of aging,women have more trouble than men accepting being older.Men may adopt feminine traits of nurturance and caring, whereas women may take on masculine traits of autonomy,dominance,and assertiveness,Men and successful career oriented women often reduce their focus on ambition and achievement.Women who have devoted themselves to child rearing or na unfulfilling job typically increase their involvement in work and the community. According to valiant,middle-aged adults become guardians of their culture. In their late forties and fifties,they carry peak responsibility for the functioning of society. Does the term midlife crisis fit most people,s experience of middle adulthood? Wide individual differences exist in response to mid life crisis in which intense self-doubt and inner turmoil lead them to make drastic changes in their personal lives and careers Characterize middle adulthood using a life events approach and a stage approach Both continuity and stagewise change characterize emotional and social development in middle adulthood .some changes are adaptations to external events (such as the family life cycle),but these events are less age graded than in the past .At the same time ,the majority of middle-aged adults report stagelike development,involving troubling moments that prompt new understandings and goals. STABILITY AND CHANGE IN SELF-CONCEPT AND PERSONALITY Describe changes in self-concept and personality in middle adulthood .

Possible selves become fewer in number as well as more modest and concrete as middleaged individuals adjust their hopes and fears to the circumstances of their lives.Revising possible selves enables adults to maintain self esteem and stay motivated Adults become more introsepective and in touch with themselves in midlife.Selfacceptance ,autonomy,and environmental mastery increase,leading some people to consider middle age the prime of life.In addition,coping strategies become more effective as middle-aged adults develop greater confidence in their ability to handle life,s problem

Describe changes in gender indentity in midlife Both men and women become more androgynous in middle adulthood.Biological explanations,such as parental imperative theory ,have been criticized, and evidence for them is mixed.A complex combinationof social roles and life conditions is probably responsible for midlife changes in gender identity Discuss stability and change in the big five personality traits in adulthood. Among the big five personality traits , neuroticism ,extroversion,and openness to experience show modest declines during adulthood ,whereas agreeableness and conscientiousness increase .At the same time,individual differences in the big five traits are large and highly stable.Although adults change in overaa organization and integration of personality,they do so on a foundation of basic ,enduring dispositions RELATIONSHIPS AT MID LIFE Describe the middle adulthood phase of the family life cycle,and discuss midlife relationships with a marriage partner,adult children,and aging parents Launching children and moving on is the newest and the longest phase of the family life cycle .Middle aged adults must adapt to many entries and exists of family members as their own children leave ,marry,and produce grandchilderen and as their own parents age and die The changes of midlife prompt many adults to focus on improving their marriages .When divorce occurs ,middle-aged adults seem to adapt more easily than younger people .For women ,martial breakup usually brings significant economic disadvantage,contributing to the feminization of poverty Most middle-aged parents adjust well to the launching phase of the family life cycle ,especially if they have a strong work orientation and if parent child contact and affection are sustained .As children marry and bring in laws into the family network,middle-aged parents,especially mothers ,often become kinkeepers. When family relationships are positive,grandparenthood is an important means of fulfilling personal and societal needs.In low income families and in some subcultures,grandparents perform essential activities,including financial assistance and child care.Increasingly,grandparents have become primary caregivers when serious family problem exist ,resulting in skipped generation families . Middle aged adults reassess their relationships with aging parents ,often becoming more appreciative .yet quality of the early parent-child relationship-positive or conflict ridden usually persists, affecting help given and received.

Adults caught between the demands of ill or trail parents and financially dependent children are called the sandwich generation.The burden of caring for aging parents falls most heavily on adults daughter,but both men and women participate.As adults move from early to later middle age,the sex difference in parental caregiving declines.Social support is highly effective in relieving caregiver stress

Describe midlife sibling relationships and friendships ,and discuss relationships across generation In midlife ,friendships are fewer ,more selective ,and more deeply valued .Men continue to be less expensive with their friends than are women ,who have more close friendships.Viewing a spouse as a best friend can contribute greatly to martial happiness. Recent research reveals strong supportive ties across generations in families and communities. Most people do not resent government benefits for other age groups. Siblings contact and support decline from early to middle adulthood ,probably because of the demands of middle aged adults diverse roles.however,most middle aged siblings tend to feel closer ,often in response to major life events,such as launching and marriage of children and illness and death of parents.Sister sister ties are typically closest in industrialized nations,where sibling relationships are vouluntry.In non-industrialized societies ,where sibling relationships are basic to family functioning ,other sibling attachments (such as brother-sister) may be hunusually strong. VOCATIONAL LIFE Discuss job satisfaction and career development in middle adulthood ,paying special attention to sex differences and experiences of ethnic minorities Vocational readjustments are common as middle-aged people seek to increase the personal meaning and self-direction of their work lives.certain aspects of job performance improve .Overall job satisfaction increases at all occupational levels ,though less so for women than for men. Burnout is a serious occupational hazard,especially in helping professions .Burnout can be prevented by ensuring reasonable workloads,limiting hours of stressful work,and providing workers with social support.Interventions that enlist employees participation in designing higher quality work environments also seem helpful. Career developmentis vital through-out work life.Yet older workers engage in less job training because of negative stereotypes of aging,which impair self-efficacy;lack of encouragement from supervisors; and more routine work assignments Women and ethnic minorities face a glass ceiling because of reduced access to formal and informal management training and prejudice against women who demonstrate qualities linked to leadership and advancement.Many women further their careers by leaving the corporate world,often to start their own businesses Discuss career change and unemployment in middle adulthood Most middle aged people remain in the same vocation .those who change careers usually leave one line of work for a related one .Radical career change often signals a personal crisis

 Unemployment is especially difficult for middle-aged adults,who make up the majority of

workers affected by corporate downsizing and layoffs. Social support is vital for reducing stress .Counseling can help midlife job seekers find alternative,gratifying work roles,but these rarely duplicate the status and pay of their previous positions. Discuss the importance of planning for retirement ,noting various issues that middle-aged adults should address An increasing number of American workers are retiring from full-time work in midlife.Planing for retirement is important because the changes it bringsloss of income and status and increase in free time---are often stress full.Besides financial planig,planning for an active life is vital and has an especially strong impact on happiness following retirement.Employers must take extra steps to encourage lower paid workers and women to participate in retirement preparation programs.