THEME 8 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ADULTHOOD AND OLD

THEME 8 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE

HEALTH SOCIAL RELATIONS PROTECTION AGAINST STRESS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT INSTRUMENTAL SUPPORT

SOCIAL RELATIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE Convoy or Caravan Model (Kahn and Antonucci, 1980) * Convoy changes throughout life cycle (adolescence, adulthood) * Theory of Socioemotional Selectivity * Changes in composition * Cultural and gender differences * Theory of Functional Specificity

SOCIAL RELATIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE Theory of Equity * People maintain just and equitable relationships * Differences in gender: men = more focus on exchanges women = more focus on community

SOCIAL RELATIONS THROUGHOUT ADULTHOOD AND OLD AGE Friendship * Lack of studies * Functions change at each moment of life cycle * Less friendships in old age

ATTACHMENT DURING ADULTHOOD Changes in subject(s) of attachment Aspects that stay the same throughout adulthood Aspects that change

ATTACHMENT DURING ADULTHOOD Some aspects of attachment stay the same as in childhood: *Desire for proximity to the subject of attachment *The welfare associated with his/her presence *Anxiety when faced with separation or loss Other aspects change: *Greater tolerance of separation *Manifestations of attachment less frequent and flagrant *More stable representational model *Affliction caused by separations less frequent and less bothersome

STERNBERG’S THEORY ABOUT LOVE Liking INTIMACY Companionate Love Romantic Love Consummate Love PASSION Infatuation Fatuous Love COMMITMENT Empty Love

Falling In Love: the initial phase of a romantic relationship w w w w Sudden appearance Intense desire for intimacy and reciprocation Frequent and uncontrollable thoughts about the other person Loss of concentration Physiological activation when the other person is present Idealization of the other person Hypersensibility to the desires and necessities of the other person

THE LIFE OF A COUPLE, MARRIAGE, AND FAMILY *Marriage as the most common way of life * Pressure to marry lessened More single people More de facto partnerships

CHOOSING A PARTNER (Feingold, 1992) * Important aspect that is well-studied * Factors related to initial attraction are different than those involved in the establishment of a relationship SUCESSIVE STAGES 1. PROXIMITY 2. ATTRACTION 3. SIMILARITY 4. RECIPROCITY 5. COMPLEMENTARY

STAGES IN MARRIAGE 1. THE NEW COUPLE 2. TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD 3. MID-LIFE ADOLESCENCE 4. THE EMPTY NEST 5. CULMINATION

STAGES IN MARRIAGE 1. THE NEW COUPLE Highest levels of satisfaction and highest divorce rates TASKS TO COMPLETE: 1. Economic security 2. Establish a comfortable home 3. Adjust to relationships with friends and family 4. Establish a satisfactory sexual relationship 5. Become accommodated to partner’s habits 6. Establish a model for communication, conflict resolution, and decision making

STAGES IN MARRIAGE 2. TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD From the birth of the first child until he/she reaches adolescence * Changes in the relationship of the couple and their relationship with friends and family (way of life) * Marital satisfaction tends to diminish: 58% equal 37% gets worse 5% gets better * Fight for power (about 7 years)

STAGES IN MARRIAGE 3. MID-LIFE ADOLESCENCE From the beginning of the first child’s adolescence until the last child moves out * Adaptation to the changes in adolescent children * Tends to coincide with mid-life crisis * Pressure of the life cycle: care for parents and children * Inversion of roles and redefinition of the couple’s relationship

STAGES IN MARRIAGE 4. THE EMPTY NEST From when the last child moves out until retirement * Regardless of the topic, conjugal satisfaction tends to improve * Losses can reinforce the relationship * Accentuates the inversion of roles * Some factors that facilitate adaptation: - Work outside the house - Good relationship - Children move out in phases and at proper age

STAGES IN MARRIAGE 5. CULMINATION From retirement to widowhood * Variable duration * Relatively satisfactory stage of companionship and interdependence * Adaptation to retirement and preparation for widowhood

SEPERATION AND DIVORCE *Important increase in separation and divorce *Less social stigma Age RISK FACTORS Economic factors Divorced parents Phases SEPERATION ADAPTATION RECONSTRUCTION

WIDOWHOOD *More frequent among women: *Women adapt better - Better social abilities and relations - Younger and healthier - More resources for domestic tasks * Influences: age--social support--selfsufficiency Rupture of emotional link WIDOWHOOD Economic loss Loneliness and isolation

WIDOWHOOD PHASES Preparation Stage 1: Protest Stage 2: Desperation Stage 3: Recuperation

WORK AND CAREER * The importance of work IDENTITY AND SELF-CONCEPT SELF-ESTEEM AND SATISFACTION WORK SOCIAL RELATIONS VALUES STRESS

WORK AND CAREER From an extrinsic motivation to an intrinsic motivation PHASES OF A CAREER EXPLORATION ESTABLISHMENT MANTAINENCE DECELERATION

WORK AND CAREER * Loss of income * Stress UNEMPLOYMENT * Health * Decrease in selfesteem PROTECTIVE FACTORS: Social support - economic resources – attribution of failure

RETIREMENT AS A CULTURAL PHENOMENON * Retirement is a recent phenomenon that is a result of the emergence of an industrial society that has: a) An economy capable of generating an economic surplus b) A public or private pension system * Retirement was a response to the excess workforce of older people and to the overflow of resources to address poverty * Establishment of Social Security systems (Germany, 1889; England 1909; U. S. A. , 1935) * Replanting of age of retirement

PHASES OF RETIREMENT 1. Pre-retirement 2. Honeymoon Phase 3. Disillusionment 4. Reorientation 5. Stability 6. Finalization

ADAPTATION TO RETIREMENT LEVEL OF INCOME RETIREMENT PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT HEALTH How important the subject considers work and his/her subjective perception of his/her health and economic situation will influence adaptation

THEORIES ABOUT ADAPTATION TO RETIREMENT AND HEALTHY AGEING THEORY OF DETACHMENT *Adaptation to ageing involves a progressive withdrawal from roles and compromises *Detached people would be more satisfied THEORY OF ACTIVITY *The more active a person is, the better that person ages

THEORIES ABOUT ADAPTATION TO RETIREMENT AND HEALTHY AGEING Is this the correct theory? * Depends on each person and his/her past way of life * Also important is the type of activity: informal and with company * Detachment is limited to the end of life

FACTORS THAT FALICITATE RETIREMENT Capacity to confront stressful situations When the changes are minimal When retirement is gradual Many personal resources (health, income, social support) Personal qualities (flexibility, positive attitude towards retirement) When expectations have been met