Developmental Psych Chapter 11: Social Development, Relationships and Roles

Setting the Context: The Changing Landscape of
Marriage Throughout history

Marriage was often based on practical concerns

marriage in mid-twentieth century (1950s)

Marriage in twenties with the expectation of maintaining the relationship for
a half-century

marriage in the late twentieth century

Average age of men 29- women 27. same sex; Marriage is significantly
redefined. Deinstitutionalized

Deinstitutionalizing Marriage

The decline in marriage and the emergence of alternate family forms during the last third of the twentieth century

Women’s movement had significant impact in
redefining marriage.
• Focus on personal choices affected divorce rate
• More choices of living alone, cohabitation, and serial
cohabitation
• Rise in unmarried parenthood and single parenting

The Main Marital Pathway: Downhill and Then Up

Marriage begins with high expectations, after which
disenchantment sets in.
• Happiness is at its peak during the honeymoon (1-2 years).
• Satisfaction rapidly slopes downward, and then tends to decline more slowly or level out around year four.
• Some gender differences- husbands happier; women more likely to seek help and express dissatisfaction.

The U-shaped Curve of Martial Satisfaction

• Marriage affected by work and children

• People who were generally optimistic were prone to constructively solve marital conflicts

serial cohabitation

Living sequentially with different partners outside of marriage.

consummate love

In Robert Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, the ideal form of love, in which a couple’s relationship involves all three of the major facets of love: passion, intimacy, and commitment.

romantic love

combines passion and intimacy

commitment alone

results in an empty marriage

companionate marriage

best-friend relationships that long-married couples find

commitment involves

conviction of being destined for a particular person

dedication to partner’s inner growth

sacrifice and compassion

nurturer father

fathers who actively engage in child care and continue to breadwinner role

traditional stable career

A career path in which people settle into their permanent life’s work in their twenties and oen stay with the same organization until they retire.

boundaryless career

Today’s most common career path for Western workers, in which people change jobs or professions periodically during their working lives.

Realistic type

These people enjoy manipulating machinery or working with tools. They like physical activity and being outdoors. If you fit this profile, your ideal career might be in construction, farming, or car repair.

Investigative type

These people like to find things out through doing research, analyzing information, and collecting data. If you fit this pattern, you might get special satisfaction in a scientific career.

Artistic type:

These people are creative and nonconforming, and they love to freely express themselves in the arts. If this is your type, a career as a decorator, dancer, musician, or writer might be ideal.

Social type

These people enjoy helping others and come alive when they are talking with other human beings. If this description fits you, a career as a bartender, practicing physician, or social worker might be right.

Entrepreneurial type

These people like to lead others, and they enjoy working on organizational goals. As this kind of person, you might find special joy as a company manager, in sales, or in starting your own business.

Conventional type

These people have a passion for manipulating data and getting things organized. If you fit this type, you would probably be happy as an accountant, copyeditor, or clerk.

intrinsic career rewards

Work that provides inner fulfillment, allowing people to satisfy their needs for creativity, autonomy, and relatedness.

extrinsic career rewards

Work that is performed for external reinforcers, such as pay.

role overload

A job situation that places so many demands on workers that it becomes impossible to do a good job.

role conflict

A situation in which a person is torn between two or more major responsibilities — for instance, parent and worker — and cannot do either job well.

work–life balance

A situation in which people feel a perfect balance, energized and happy at work and fulfilled with other aspects of their lives.

occupational segregation

The separation of men and women into different kinds of jobs.

Akisha, a new mother, is feeling stressed and unhappy. She and other mothers might cope better if they had (select two statements):

a less rosy, more accurate picture about motherhood from the media.

less pressure placed on them from the outside world to “be perfect.”

Michael, age 30, has just begun his career. Compared to his father, who entered his career in the 1990s, what two predictions can you make for Michael?

Michael will be more likely than his dad to work from home.

Michael is more likely to be an independent contractor, selling his skills to different employers.

Malia and her husband work full time. Statistically speaking, you can make two of the following predictions:

Malia will take more time off from work for family caregiving.
Malia will earn less than her spouse.

According to this chapter, with regard to family and work, traditional gender roles still exist/no longer exist.

exist

Being laid off causes a permanent loss of self-esteem (true/false).

false

Pick the newest trend in the work world.

the rise of self-employment or the gig economy

Which couple is MOST likely to find the transition to parenthood a total relationship disaster?

The Okafors, who argued a good deal before the baby was born

According to the text, which is the LEAST likely experience for men who marry women with children?

They typically don't love the stepchildren.

Which wife is describing a marital equity issue?

Colette tells Jakobo that it's not fair that she does all the housework since they both have jobs.

According to the text, what is the main barrier to men being highly involved in childcare?

the fact that society is still committed to the idea males should be full-time breadwinners

Of the following, which is NOT an implicit message of the research exploring the transition to parenthood?

Becoming parents always wreaks havoc on married life.

Generalizing from the text, as the economy improves:

intrinsic career rewards will be more vital to work satisfaction.

People who are contemplating leaving a spouse:

constantly weigh the costs and benefits.

Which statement about marriage is FALSE?

It's better to be in an unhappy marriage than live a single life.

Based on the text, what is the BEST strategy when having a conflict or difference of opinion with a spouse?

Keep to the issue and don't get personally hurtful.

According to the text, mothers:

prefer the child who seems most attached to them.

Which woman is MOST likely to cohabit for life?

Sally, a U.S. adult who lives under the poverty line

Technologies such as smart phones and e-mail have:

increased the amount of work people do.

Which dad is MOST likely to spend the most time in hands-on child care?

Emerico, who takes great pleasure in being a nurturer father

Maria complains that she feels terribly guilty about leaving her 1-year-old to go to her job every day. The name for Maria's concern is _____.

role conflict

Alyshia, age 30, has lived with different partners since she entered her twenties. Alyshia's situation is _____ in the United States today.

fairly common

Giving advice to a significant other _____ in a relationship.

should be done cautiously

Dr. Vocation is giving a lecture on recent changes in the U.S. work world. He should mention which of the following trends?

the rise of the self-employment or gig economy

Soria lives in the Middle East, and Susan lives in America. Which woman will have much more trouble if she wants to divorce?

Soria

Ariesa and her husband are both managers at a company. Based on the text, which of the following is NOT a reasonable prediction?

When Ariesa becomes a mother, she may get a salary raise.

Young people in the contemporary United States:

want to postpone marriage until they have completed their education and are financially stable.

Generalizing from the text, if the economy gets worse:

extrinsic career rewards will be more vital to work satisfaction.

Marco is giving a presentation on what the media and society might do to help mothers feel less stressed out. Which is NOT a statement he should make?

"Urge mothers to spend more time with their kids."

Which of the following is NOT an implication of the research tracking married couples who later divorce?

Divorce is rarely a good option.