Chapter 22: Adulthood: Psychosocial Development

The foundational framework comes from Erikson's theory of adulthood, which identifies four critical stages: the pursuit of intimacy and the risk of isolation in early adulthood, the expression of generativity through caregiving and contribution versus the stagnation that results from self-absorption in middle adulthood, and the achievement of integrity through life reflection in later years. Complementing this developmental perspective, Maslow's hierarchy of needs describes how adults progress from satisfying basic physiological and safety requirements toward higher-order fulfillment and self-actualization. The Big Five personality model provides a dimensional approach to understanding trait expression, revealing that most adults show increased conscientiousness and decreased neuroticism over time, though cultural contexts shape these developmental trajectories differently. The chapter explores how intimate partnerships, including marriage, cohabitation, living apart together arrangements, and same-sex relationships, contribute significantly to physical health, economic security, and psychological wellbeing. Beyond romantic bonds, adults maintain expansive social networks called convoys, which include family, friends, and fictive kin who provide essential emotional and practical support. The generative impulse manifests through multiple pathways: direct parenting across biological, adoptive, step, and foster contexts; grandparenting and intergenerational caregiving, particularly in skipped-generation families; and work that offers both intrinsic rewards like autonomy and social connection alongside extrinsic benefits. Throughout adulthood, individuals navigate the ongoing tension between competing responsibilities through selective optimization and compensatory strategies, demonstrating how psychological development remains dynamic and responsive to life circumstances rather than fixed.