Emotional & Social Development in Middle Adulthood

Erikson's theory: core psychological conflict of middle adulthood

Midlife adults benefit from reaching out to give to and guide the next generation (____). ____ involves feelings of boredom or lack of meaning because of failure to contribute to the next generation.

Generativity vs stagnation

finding balance between embracing aging while still maintaining a connection to youth

Young-Old

Destruction-creation

reflecting on past harm one may have caused and striving to make creative or constructive contributions moving forward.

Feminity-masculinity

integrating both masculine and feminine aspects of one's personality, regardless of gender

Engagement vs Separateness

finding a balance between being involved in external commitments and withdrawing into personal reflection, autonomy, or self-care

Possible self

Cognitive representations of who a person hopes, fears, or expects to become

Self-acceptance

Middle adulthood: fully embracing one's strengths and weaknesses.

Middle adulthood: seeing oneself as capable of managing a complex array of tasks easily and effectively

environmental mastery

Middle adulthood: one's concern with self-chosen standards rather than others' evaluations

Autonomy

As individuals progress through middle adulthood, they often focus on longer-term, less personal goals, such as improving the state of human relations in their society

Vaillant adaptation of life perspective