Key terms

continuities and discontinuities – последовательность и импульсивность

gender differences – гендерные (половые) различия

infatuation – безрассудная страсть, одержимость

is still on the rise – все еще идет в гору (поднимается)

mature relationships – сложившиеся, сформировавшиеся отношения

social interactions – социальное взаимодействие

societal pressure – общественное давление

successive components – последовательные составляющие

Loneliness often arises during the transition to college. Improving social contacts and engaging in activities that can be done alone are positive actions that help overcome feelings of loneliness.

Intimacy becomes the theme of social interactions in early adulthood. Familiarity precedes a close relationship. We like to associate with individuals who are similar to us.

Friends and lovers have similar and dissimilar characteristics. Friendships are marked by enjoyment, acceptance, mutual trust, respect, confiding, understanding, and spontaneity. Romantic love is more absorbing, more exclusive, and has strong sexual and infatuation components. It is the reason most people get married, although it mixes positive and negative emotions.

Although adults are remaining single longer, marriage remains the most popular lifestyle choice for most adults.

Six stages typify the family life cycle: (a) leaving home and becoming a single adult, (b) joining of families through marriage—the new couple, (c) becoming parents and families with children, (d) the family with adolescents, (e) midlife families, and (f) the family in later life.

The factor most responsible for unhealthy marriages is unmet expectations. Satisfaction is higher among those who do not hold to the myths of marriage and have realistic expectations about the marriage relationship.

In the marriage relationship, women tend to be more expressive and affectionate than men. In addition to gender differences in intimacy, there are gender differences in family work. The wives do the unrelenting, repetitive, and routine tasks.

Religion is more commonly regarded as important by many cultures. In some cultures, individuals marry early, and in others late.

The parental role is planned and coordinated for some, but for others it is surprising and chaotic. It is the myth that a child will save a failing marriage. Families are becoming smaller, and career decisions often lead women to delaying childbirth. There are advantages and disadvantages to having children either early or later in adulthood.

The number of individuals choosing to remain single is still on the rise. Societal pressure forces most individuals to deal with issues of intimacy, loneliness, and marriage by the age of 30.

Divorce has increased dramatically, although its rate of increase has begun to stew.

While individuals in early adulthood are busy with establishing intimate relationships, they are also balancing their needs of independence. One classification indicates that there are five styles of intimate relationships: intimate style, preintimate style, stereotyped style, pseudointimate style, and isolated style. A model of mature relationships suggests that individuals move through three levels: self-focused, role-focused, and individuated-connected.

There is a delicate balance between intimacy and commitment on the one hand, and independence and freedom on the other. These themes are revisited throughout the adult years.

Women are especially concerned about the simultaneous need for separateness and emotional connectedness. There is a belief that today's males are too soft and another belief is that males need to be more sensitive and less violent.

Development in the early adulthood period and into middle and later adulthood is most likely a combination of early experiences and the context in which adults are currently experiencing.