Chapter 14: Early Adulthood

the transition to adult roles has become so delayed and prolonged that it has spawned a new
transitional period extending from the late teens to the mid- to late twenties, called emerging
adulthood.

College students who move from in-depth exploration to certainty of commitment provide more
coherent descriptions of themselves and are higher in self-esteem, psychological well- being, and
academic, emotional, and social adjustment.

hose who spend much time exploring in breadth or depth without making enduring
commitments, or who are identity diffused (engage in no exploration), tend to be poorly adjusted
—anxious, depressed, and higher in alcohol and drug use, casual and unpro- tected sex, and other
health-compromising behaviors (

Risk and resilience in emerging adulthood

Most young people with access to the opportunities of emerg- ing adulthood experience it as a
time of flourishing, in which they solidify beliefs and values, succeed educationally, participate
in prosocial activities, and launch a career.

But a sizable number flounder: Their lack of direction is evident in persisting low self- esteem;
high anxiety and depression; poor academic performance; and high levels of risky behaviors

Erickson’s Theory: Intimacy versus isolation

psychological conflict of early adulthood is intimacy versus isolation, evident in the young
person’s thoughts and feelings about making a long-term com- mitment to an intimate partner
and in close, mutually gratifying friendships.

Yet intimacy requires that they give up some of their independent self and redefine their identity
to include both partners’ values and interests.

s Erikson emphasized—a secure identity fosters attainment of intimacy. Among large samples of
college students, identity achievement was positively correlated with fidelity (loyalty in
relationships) and love, for both men and women.

In contrast, identity moratorium—exploration without commitment—was negatively associated

with fidelity and love (Markstrom et al., 1997; Markstrom & Kalmanir, 2001). Other studies
show that advanced identity development strongly pre- dicts involvement in a deep, committed
love partnership or readi- ness to establish such a partnership (Beyers & Seiffge-Krenke, 2010;
Montgomery, 2005).
Erikson believed that successful resolution of intimacy ver- sus isolation prepares the individual
for the middle adulthood stage, which focuses on generativity—caring for the next gen- eration
and helping to improve society.

Erikson’s ideas, high friendship or romantic intimacy in early adulthood does predict a stronger
generative orientation

Leaving home:

But when young adults feel securely attached to parents and well-prepared for independence,
departure from the home is linked to more sat- isfying parent–child interaction and successful
transition to adult roles, even among ethnic minorities that strongly emphasize family loyalty and
obligations (Smetana, Metzger, & Campione- Barr, 2004; Whiteman, McHale, & Crouter, 2010).
And regard- less of living arrangements, young people doing well often have close, enjoyable
relationships with their parents, who offer help because they see it as key to their child’s future
success (Fingerman et al., 2012b).

In contrast, resistantly attached young adults generally have difficulty with healthy separation.
They often remain in the parental home for an extended time, and after leaving, they report
greater parental contact than their agemates do

Although avoidantly attached young people appear to adjust well to leaving home, they
sometimes describe themselves as more self-sufficient than they actually are (Bernier, Larose, &
Whipple, 2005; Seiffge-Krenke, 2013). They tend to be less well-adjusted than their securely
attached counterparts.
Chapter 16: Middle Adulthood

Erikson’s Theory: Generativity versus Stagnation

Generativity involves reaching out to others in ways that give to and guide the next generation.

Generativity expands greatly in midlife, when adults focus more intently on extending
commitments beyond oneself (identity) and one’s life partner (intimacy) to a larger group—
family, community, or society.

The generative adult combines the need for self-expression with the need for communion, inte-
grating personal goals with the welfare of the larger social world (McAdams, 2014). The
resulting strength is the capacity to care for others in a broader way than previously.

Erikson (1950) selected the term generativity to encompass everything generated that can outlive
the self and ensure society’s continuity and improvement: children, ideas, products, works of art.

And according to Erikson, a culture’s “belief in the species”—the conviction that life is good and
worthwhile, even in the face of human destruc- tiveness and deprivation—is a major motivator
of generative action. Without this optimistic worldview, people would have no hope of
improving humanity.

The negative outcome of this stage is stagnation: Once peo- ple attain certain life goals, such as
marriage, children, and career success, they may become self-centered and self-indulgent.

Adults with a sense of stagnation express their self-absorption in many ways—through lack of
interest in young people (including their own children), through a focus on what they can get
from others rather than what they can give, and through taking little interest in being productive
at work, developing their talents, or bettering the world in other ways.

Erikson’s theory suggests, highly generative people appear especially well-adjusted—low in

anxiety and depression; high in autonomy, self-acceptance, and life satisfaction; more open to
different viewpoints; and more likely to have successful marriages and close friends

African Amer- icans more often engage in certain types of generativity. They express a stronger
desire to leave a legacy to their broader com- munity (rather than just their immediate family)
and, consistent with that goal, offer more social support to community members

Self acceptance, Autonomy and Environmental Mastery

Middle-aged adults also offer more complex, integrated descriptions of themselves than do
younger and older individuals
Coping with Daily stressors

Middle-aged individuals are more likely to identify the positive side of difficult situations,
postpone action to permit evaluation of alternatives, anticipate and plan ways to handle future
discomforts, and use humor to express ideas and feelings without offending others