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Theories of Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood

Explore Erikson's theory, activity theory, and more in this chapter outline examining personality, society, families, and social relationships in late adulthood.

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Theories of Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood

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  1. 3e ESSENTIALS OF LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENTJOHN W. SANTROCK 16 Socioemotional Development in Late Adulthood

  2. Chapter Outline • Theories of socioemotional development • Personality and society • Families and social relationships • Ethnicity, gender, and culture

  3. Theories of Socioemotional Development • Erikson’s theory • Activity theory • Socioemotional selectivity theory • Selective optimization with compensation theory

  4. Theories of Socioemotional Development • Erikson’s theory • Integrity vs. despair: Involves reflecting on the past and either piecing together a positive review or concluding that one’s life has not been well spent • Life review - Looking back at one’s life experiences, evaluating them, and interpreting/reinterpreting them • Reminiscence therapy - Discussing past activities and experiences with another individual or group

  5. Theories of Socioemotional Development • Activity theory • The more active and involved older adults are, the more likely they are to be satisfied with their lives • Socioemotional selectivity theory • Older adults become more selective about their social networks, spending more time with individuals with whom they have had rewarding relationships

  6. Theories of Socioemotional Development • Two important classes of goals • Knowledge-related • Emotion-related • Trajectory for each type of goal is different

  7. Theories of Socioemotional Development • Selective optimization with compensation theory: Successful aging is linked with three main factors: • Selection - Older adults have a reduced capacity and loss of functioning, which require a reduction in performance in most life domains

  8. Theories of Socioemotional Development • Optimization - It is possible to maintain performance in some areas through continued practice and the use of new technologies • Compensation - Older adults need to compensate when life tasks require a higher level of capacity

  9. Figure 16.1 - Degree of Personal Life Investment at Different Points in Life

  10. Personality and Society • Personality • Older adults in society

  11. Personality and Society • Personality • Transition into late adulthood was characterized by increases in following aspects of conscientiousness • Impulse control, reliability, and conventionality • Higher conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness were related to a lower risk of earlier death

  12. Personality, The Self, and Society • Older adults in society • Stereotyping older adults • Ageism: Prejudice against others because of their age • Policy issues in an aging society • Status of the economy • Health care • Eldercare: Physical and emotional caretaking of older members of the family • Whether that care is day-to-day physical assistance or responsibility for arranging and overseeing such care • Technology

  13. Families and Social Relationships • Lifestyle diversity • Older adult parents and their adult children • Friendship • Social support and social integration • Altruism and volunteerism

  14. Lifestyle Diversity • Married older adults • In 2010, 57% of U.S. adults over 65 were married; 27% of older adult women were widows • Marital satisfaction is greater in older adults than middle-aged adults • Older adults who are married or partnered are usually happier and live longer than those who are single

  15. Lifestyle Diversity • Divorced and remarried older adults • In 2010, 11 percent of women and 9 percent of men 65 years and older in the United States were divorced or separated • Divorce has social, financial, and physical consequences • Remarriage is increasing due to: • Rising divorce rates • Increased longevity • Better health

  16. Lifestyle Diversity • Cohabiting older adults • In 2010, 3 percent of older adults were cohabiting

  17. Older Adult Parents and Their Children • About 80% of older adults have living children, many of whom are middle-aged • Adult daughters are more likely to be involved in the lives of aging parents • Adult children often coordinate and monitor services for aging disabled parents

  18. Friendship • In late adulthood, new friendships are less likely to be forged and close friends are chosen over new friends • Individuals with close ties to friends were less likely to die across a seven-year age span

  19. Social Support and Social Integration • Social convoy model of social relations: Individuals go through life embedded in a personal network of individuals to whom they give and from whom they receive social support

  20. Social Support and Social Integration • Older adults have fewer peripheral social contacts and more emotionally positive contacts with friends and family • A low level of social integration is linked with coronary heart disease in older adults

  21. Altruism and Volunteerism • Older adults who had persistently low or declining feelings of usefulness to others had an increased risk of earlier death • Volunteering is associated with a number of positive outcomes • Constructive activities • Productive roles • Social integration • Enhanced meaningfulness

  22. Ethnicity • Ethnicity • Gender • Culture

  23. Ethnicity • Elderly ethnic minority individuals face both ageism and racism • Despite stress and discrimination many ethnic minority individuals have developed coping mechanisms that allow them to survive

  24. Gender • Some developmentalists believe that there is decreasing femininity in women and decreasing masculinity in men during late adulthood • Older men often become more feminine, but women do not necessarily become more masculine • Older adult females face ageism and sexism

  25. Culture • Six factors are likely to predict high status for older adults in a culture: • Have valuable knowledge • Control key family/community resources • Engage in useful/valued functions as long as possible • Age-related role changes that give greater responsibility, authority, and advisory capacity • Extended family • Respect for older adults

  26. Successful Aging • Many abilities can be maintained and/or improved in older adults due to: • Proper diet • Active lifestyle • Mental stimulation and flexibility • Positive coping skills • Good social relationships and support • Absence of disease

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