Adulthood (Part 2): Attraction, Relationships, Midlife & Family Dynamics

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on adult development—including attraction biology, relationship theories, marriage trends, midlife changes, cognitive aging, and family dynamics.

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter that activates the brain’s pleasure and reward pathways, producing energy and focused attention during early attraction.

Adrenaline (Epinephrine)

Hormone released during the fight-or-flight response; causes racing heart and sweaty palms when falling in love.

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter whose levels drop in people in love, creating obsessive, anxious thoughts similar to OCD patterns.

Pheromones

Chemical signals secreted through skin, sweat, or tears that subconsciously influence attraction and signal genetic compatibility.

Bilateral Symmetry

Physical trait in which left and right sides of the body match; perceived as a marker of developmental health and attractiveness.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Body-shape proportion linked to fertility and health; about .70 in women and .90 in men is rated most attractive.

Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)

Immune-system gene set; people prefer mates with dissimilar MHC variants to boost offspring disease resistance.

Stimulus–Value–Role Theory

Bernard Murstein’s three-phase model of mate selection: stimulus, value comparison, and role commitment.

Stimulus Phase

First stage of Murstein’s theory; attraction based on external traits such as looks or voice.

Value Comparison Phase

Second stage; partners gauge similarity in beliefs and interests during dating.

Role Phase

Final Murstein stage; couple makes long-term plans and defines future roles together.

Homogamy

Tendency to choose romantic partners who are similar in background, values, and interests.

Secure Attachment (Adult)

Comfortable with intimacy and autonomy; forms trusting, stable relationships.

Avoidant Attachment (Adult)

Values independence, distrusts closeness, and often withdraws from commitment.

Anxious / Resistant Attachment (Adult)

Craves closeness, fears abandonment, experiences jealousy and emotional volatility.

Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love

Model stating love consists of intimacy, passion, and commitment in varying combinations.

Intimacy (Sternberg)

Feelings of closeness, trust, and connectedness with a partner.

Passion (Sternberg)

Physical arousal and intense longing for a partner.

Commitment (Sternberg)

Decision to maintain a relationship over time.

Romantic Love

Combination of intimacy and passion without strong commitment.

Companionate Love

Blend of intimacy and commitment; deep friendship-like marriage.

Foolish Love

Passion plus commitment without intimacy; quick, whirlwind bonds.

Consummate Love

Ideal form containing intimacy, passion, and commitment all together.

U-Shaped Curve of Marital Satisfaction

Pattern in which happiness peaks at honeymoon, declines through child-rearing years, and rises during empty nest.

Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Gottman)

Communication patterns predicting divorce: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling.

Criticism (Gottman)

Attacking a partner’s character instead of a specific behavior.

Contempt (Gottman)

Expression of superiority via sarcasm, mockery, or eye-rolling; strongest divorce predictor.

Defensiveness (Gottman)

Self-protective blame-shifting that escalates conflict rather than resolves it.

Stonewalling (Gottman)

Withdrawing from interaction and refusing to communicate or engage.

Infidelity

Sexual or emotional involvement outside the marriage; raises divorce likelihood from 23 % to 53 % within five years.

Cohabitation

Romantic partners living together without being married.

Deinstitutionalization of Marriage

Shift from marriage as a social institution to one based on personal choice and fulfillment.

Single Parenthood

Raising a child without a married partner; increasingly accepted with reduced stigma.

Empty Nest

Family stage after children leave home; often linked to rebound in marital satisfaction.

Nurturer Father

Modern ideal of a dad who actively provides childcare while retaining provider role.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Erikson’s midlife stage focusing on contributing to the next generation or remaining self-absorbed.

Generativity

Desire to guide younger people, create lasting contributions, and feel life purpose.

Commitment Script

Life narrative theme in which individuals see themselves as uniquely called to help others.

Redemption Sequence

Storyline where negative life events lead to positive outcomes or growth.

Custodial Grandparent

Grandparent who has legal responsibility for raising a grandchild; linked to role overload and health strain.

Parent Care

Middle-aged adult’s hands-on assistance to a frail, elderly parent.

Big Five Personality Traits

Five broad dimensions—openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism—that remain fairly stable in adulthood.

Openness to Experience

Trait of being imaginative, curious, and receptive to new ideas.

Conscientiousness

Tendency to be organized, dependable, and self-disciplined.

Extraversion

Outgoing, assertive, and energetic orientation toward others.

Agreeableness

Disposition to be cooperative, kind, and compassionate.

Neuroticism

Propensity toward anxiety, moodiness, and emotional instability.

Crystallized Intelligence

Accumulated knowledge and verbal skills that increase until about age 65.

Fluid Intelligence

Ability to reason quickly and solve new problems; begins gradual decline in mid-adult years.

Terminal Drop

Sharp decline in crystallized abilities shortly before death, signaling severe illness.

Menopause

Twelve consecutive months without menstruation marking end of female fertility.

Perimenopause

Transitional years of erratic cycles and hormonal shifts leading up to menopause.

Post-Menopause

Life stage after menstruation ceases; vaginal lining thins and lubrication decreases.

Midlife

Subjective life period roughly spanning ages 40-65, often marked by career peak and family transitions.

Age-47 Happiness Dip

Research point where adult life satisfaction often bottoms out, coinciding with adolescent child-rearing stress.

Interracial Dating Trend

Growth in relationships between people of different races/ethnicities; 1 in 3 European Americans report experience.

Same-Sex Relationship Acceptance

Modern increase in social approval and prevalence of LGBTQ+ partnerships.

Institutional vs. Personal Choice Marriage

Historical shift from duty-based unions to marriages centered on individual fulfillment.

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

Leading midlife killer (25 % of deaths); includes heart attacks, arrhythmias, and atherosclerosis.

Cancer (Midlife)

Cause of one-third of U.S. deaths in middle age; often curable with 60 % five-year survival.

Angina Pectoris

Chest pain signaling restricted blood flow to the heart.

Arrhythmia

Irregular heartbeat that can accompany cardiovascular disease.

Atherosclerosis

Hardening and narrowing of arteries due to plaque buildup.

Seven Warning Signs of Cancer

Change in bowel/bladder, sore that won’t heal, unusual bleeding, thickening/lump, indigestion, wart/mole change, nagging cough.

Stress Threshold (3 Events)

Finding that experiencing more than three major life traumas diminishes mental health in midlife.

Family Watchdog

Generative grandparent role of stepping in during a family crisis to provide guidance and support.

Attachment Style Plasticity

Ability for adult attachment patterns to shift toward security through supportive relationships.

Validating Conflict Style

Couples’ pattern of calm compromise and mutual problem-solving.

Volatile Conflict Style

Marriage style marked by passionate, frequent arguments but balanced by affection.

Conflict-Avoiding Style

Partners ‘agree to disagree,’ sidestepping direct confrontation.

5 : 1 Ratio

Gottman’s rule that five positive interactions should offset every negative one for marital stability.

Transition to Parenthood

Life change that often lowers couple intimacy but raises overall purpose and meaning.

Marital Equality

Perceived fairness in division of housework and childcare; linked to satisfaction.

Role Conflict

Tension from incompatible demands of work and family roles, common for modern fathers and caregivers.

Fertility Rate

Average number of children a woman bears; below 2.0 in many developed nations, causing aging populations.

Baby Bonus

Government incentive payments (e.g., Italy) aimed at raising national birth rates.

Fluid–Crystallized Distinction

Concept separating fast problem-solving abilities from accumulated knowledge stores.

Seattle Longitudinal Study

Key research tracking adult cognitive abilities; found most intellectual peaks in late 40s/early 50s.

Neurotransmitters of Attraction

Core chemicals—dopamine, adrenaline, serotonin—that drive early romantic excitement.

Optimal Waist-Hip Ratio (.70)

Proportion in women most associated with reproductive health and perceived attractiveness.