Developmental Psychology

individuals want to settle down and start a family, so this triggers the creation of a general timeline that includes creating a family, as well as looking for a career. It was Roger Gould who had researched the changes that occur in the early adulthood stage. His research’s primary focus was on men and women who were between 16 and 60 years of age. After conducting his research, it was found that when adults aged and grew/developed, there was a period where adults attempted to become more tolerant with themselves. During early adulthood, it is viewed as the time where there is great instability when it is compared to middle and later adulthood. Roger Gould believed that this suggested correlation between mental disorders and early adulthood. Listed below are some of the significant events and intimacy categories that occur in early adulthood. • Friendship o Developing friendships is said to be relatively simple during early adulthood o Live and social events such as going to college, religious activities and sporting events, or playing sports help people meet others and develop friendships o Male friendships are typically based on shared activities o Females tend to want to develop emotional friendships o Friendships that are of the cross-gender nature, will help individuals learn more about opposite genders o Friendships continue until marriage and throughout marriages • Mate Selection (Theories) o Theory of Propinquity: Individuals will usually marry someone geographically close o Theory of Homogamy : Individuals will usually marry someone of similar demographics o Complimentary Needs Theory : Individuals will usually marry someone who has opposite qualities, or lack qualities o Exchange Theory : This mate selection is part of a rational economic theory that has costs and benefits • Cohabitation o Statistics show that approximately 40% of individuals in the United States will live together prior to getting married o Statistics suggest that cohabitation does not strengthen a marriage. Cohabitants are considered to be liberal and accept the idea of divorce. There is also a lower commitment level which can be implied by cohabitation. • Marriage o History suggests that the United States has the highest rate of unmarried adults o Statistics show that marriage begins later, but is not rejected as a whole o In the United States, the median age for marriage is  24 years of age for males  22 years of age for females o Successful marriage factors include  Marrying at an older age  Sharing similar backgrounds  Sharing similar values  Sharing similar interests  Sharing a similar perception on the equality of marriage

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