Apply principles of adult development to one of the topics described below.
Essays
interview two people in middle and/or later adulthood about their work and occupational life. Did their work life change over the years? Were they satisfied with their work? Why or why not? How do they feel about retirement? What advice do they offer you about your career choices?
Work, Leisure and Retirement
“What do you do?” [often the first question an adult asks another when they first meet]
I. Significance of Work in Adulthood
WHY DO WE WORK. Ask class, record responses.
1. Economic reasons
2. material needs and financial security of course
3. self-esteem
4. self-respect
5. social acceptance
6. social status, respect from others
7. entrée to the adult world
8. personal development and fulfillment
9. challenge, autonomy, satisfaction, enjoyment, meaning
10. activity and structure in our life. Don’t want to be bored
11. social contact
12. generativity
Work defines individuals in very fundamental ways.
– Financial standing, housing, the way they spend their time, where they live, their friendships
and their health.
– When unable to work, many individuals experience emotional distress and low self-esteem.
– Most people spend about one-third of their adult lives at work.
II.
Career Development
Career choice is influenced by: knowledge of options, market conditions, family attitude, traditions,
expectations, proximity factors, social class, and gender roles.
–
EXPOSURE.
SKILLS + INTERESTS + VALUES
Donald Super
Super proposed a stage developmental view of occupations based on self-concept and adaptation to
an occupational role.
Super describes five stages;
1. implementation
2. establishment
3. maintenance
4. deceleration
5. retirement
Limitations to this model?
• Many people do not follow these clear-cut career paths!
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•
•
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Lots of careers come about from luck or emotional factors.
This theory was developed at a time when fewer women worked outside the home.
Today many people start second, third, or even fourth or fifth careers at some point during
adulthood and retirement at 65 is no longer the norm.
Holland Types
John Holland categorized individuals into six career related personality types
Holland suggests that career selection is based on the best fit between your personality
and the demands of the vocation.
Good match = job satisfaction and stability
Bad match – job dissatisfaction and a search for a different career.
1. Realistic (robust, practical, strong and active, good motor skills
2. Investigative (introspective, analytical, curious, task oriented)
3. Artistic (unconventional, creative, introspective, independent)
4. Social (sociable, responsible, humanistic, religious, cooperative)
5. Enterprising (high verbal abilities, popular, self-confident, high energy)
6. Conventional (conscientious, efficient, obedient, orderly, shy, inhibited)
* A good person-job fit leads to greater job satisfaction, career stability, and higher
performance!
Holland’s Hexagon
John Holland created a hexagonal model that shows the relationship between the personality types
and environments.
► PROBLEMS/LIMITATIONS WITH HOLLAND’S THEORY
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1. Some jobs require a combination of traits and skills
2. Doesn’t deal with environmental and cultural forces that limit or
influence job choices.
3. Socioeconomic differences (e.g., educational opportunities) often
limit vocational choices
4. Gender makes a difference – women gravitate toward “pink collar”
careers.
5. The work environment ITSELF can be an agent of change. For
example, an electrician hired to help with lighting in a theater
might discover an artistic bent and specialize in theatrical lighting.
SKILLS + INTERESTS + VALUES
Higher Education
WHY IMPORTANT? People with bachelor’s degree earn 2X as non-bachelors
degree.
In 2020: 37.5% of Americans achieved a bachelor’s degree
– Women exceed men for bachelor + master’s degrees, but men exceed women in
doctoral and professional degrees.
– Over 40% of undergrad students are 24 years or older; 56% are women
SO: Who are these non-traditional students?
Bachelor’s degree attainment levels by racial group in 2015-2019:
White 33.5%
Non-Hispanic White 35.8%
Black 21.6%
Hispanic/Latino 16.4%
American Indian/Alaska Native 15.0%
Asian 54.3%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 17.8%
Most U.S. non-college bound high school graduates are limited to low-paid, unskilled jobs,
and many are unemployed.
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# of white collar jobs increasing and # of lower skill blue collar jobs decreasing.
II.
Finding and Surviving at Work
First job REALITY SHOCK
Usually a shock for young adults when they start out. Frustration, stress, anger,
disappointment. Look for a mentor!
Job satisfaction – that positive feeling that results from an appraisal of one’s work.
* Work serves as a basis of consolidation of identity and evaluation of the self.
Traditionally, this has been the case for men, also true for women.
* White collar job satisfaction increases with age; blue collar decreases. Why?
*At different ages, we care about different things! For example – raising young children.
IV. Stress and Problems on the Job
Occupational stress can affect the mental and physical health of workers.
Sources of occupational stress include
– Competing demands of family and work – MAINLY IN MIDLIFE.
– the demands and pace of the job,
– the degree of control a worker has over work conditions,
– job security, and
– the degree of supportive social networks on the job.
Problems on the job:
→Technological advances have radically changed the work world – for both white and bluecollar workers. This results in the need for retraining.
→Insufficient promotions or raises, low salaries, dull work, lack of authority, heavy work
load, problems with boss, barriers to expressing frustration.
→Workers in certain occupations including low-status health care occupations and
personal service jobs have particularly high rates of admission to community mental health
centers.
→Technological advances
→Trouble coordinating work and family responsibilities.
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Alienation: When workers feel what they are doing is meaningless and their efforts are
devalued, or when they do not see the connection between what they do and the final
product. Routine and boring work, and when there are few or rare pay increases.
Burn-out: A depletion of a person’s energy and motivation, the loss of occupational
idealism and the feeling that one is being exploited. Loss of personal control.
A state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that negatively affects self-esteem as
a result of job stress. It affects the quality of services the burned-out employee provide.
It is serious. Linked to severe depression, impaired attention and memory, on-the-job
injuries, physical illness, poor job performance, absenteeism, and turnover.
NAME SOME JOBS HI-BURNOUT
Special Education
Career Changes. Seldom “radical.” Leaving one line of work for a related one.
Changing careers: Life expectancy increasing, other times it is involuntary.
-Boredom or frustrations.
– Cannot meet physical demands of the job.
– Health issues.
Extreme Career Shifts… Usually signals a personal crisis. Example of a TV producer
leaving his job to be a school bus driver. Could be a response to difficult colleagues, family
conflict. Preference for a “less burdensome” life.
-Self-reflection (especially in midlife). Looking for meaning and purpose in life through
work.
-They also face fewer financial burdens at this point in their lives and anxious to take on
challenge of a new career.
Career Plateau: When there is a lack of challenge in one’s job or promotional activity OR
the person chooses not to seek advancement.
Occupational regret – Due to discrimination, too risky to pursue another career
III. Gender and Work
-Majority of women now work outside the home alongside men and will continue to do so.
-Longer life span means that women no longer spend most of their adult years raising
children.
Trends toward delaying marriage and children and smaller families influence women’s
occupational lives, right?
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Women derive greater satisfaction and positive psychological adjustment as a result of
careers than do men. WHY?….
– Some women experience an increase in health as a result of working. Married women
whose husband’s share in domestic duties experience less stress from work.
– Women benefit from work because they have greater access to healthcare, facilities,
increased family incomes, and richer social networks to rely on for support.
– Working women are physically and psychologically stronger than non-working women.
Fewer heart attacks, ulcers and higher self-esteem – especially among unmarried women.
♦ Why do women work: extrinsic and intrinsic reasons
Happiness with one’s work generally increases in mid-life. More for white-collar
work than for blue-collar work.
♦ Gender-role socialization
U.S. women have far more varied occupational choices than in the past.
Women constitute 98% of preschool and kindergarten teachers, 96%
administrative assistants/secretaries, 80% elementary teachers, 90%
registered nurses – only 15% of chemical engineers.
Women are overrepresented in low-status jobs.
♦ Discontinuous careers
MEN’S CAREER PATHS ARE USUALLY CONTINUOUS, WHEREAS WOMEN’S ARE
OFTEN DISCONTINUOUS DUE TO CHILDBEARING AND CHILDREARING. WHY
DON’T MEN DISRUPT THEIR CAREERS TO CARE FOR AND RAISE THEIR
CHILDREN?
♦ Discrimination
Because of gender discrimination on the job, women lag far behind men in occupational
status and income.
– Sexual harassment and discrimination due to race or gender contribute to stress on the
job.
♦ Glass ceiling
Women and ethnic minorities face a “glass ceiling,” or invisible barrier to advancement up
the corporate ladder.
♦ Occupational segregation
– Women and ethnic minorities are overrepresented in low-status jobs. Why?
♦ Multiple Roles – Combining work and family
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Dual-earner/dual-caregiving couples face many potential problems related to the
coordination of work and family roles.
Interesting facts:
– There is no evidence that children from dual-working families suffer from neglect.
In fact, as # of hours the mother works increases, the amount of time children
spend with parents increases. This is because fathers take on a larger role.
Families with two providers are finding that there are many costs as well as benefits
associated with this lifestyle. Personal motivation for working and job satisfaction are
important factors in the adjustments of these families.
– Working women have greater marriage satisfaction than non-working women. Especially
if husband is supportive. This is more likely to be the case among professional women, as
opposed to clerical workers.
Dual-income homes: Partners have a tough time finding time for EACH OTHER.
Unemployment and Losing Your Job
–
-When a person in middle age loses a job, it’s tough getting re-hired at another
company.
Both men and women suffer after losing a job. Medical problems increase.
Critical variable – the perception of control affects how you cope with job loss.
VI. Retirement
Big variation in ages of retirement! 55, 65, 70…. A major change in status! What does that
mean?
People retire for various reasons. Those who choose to retire usually do so because of
adequate financial resources, good pension plans, desire to spend more time with the
family, or dislike of job. Healthy men who choose to retire adjust the best to retirement.
–
Adjustment to retirement is easier when you are prepared for it.
Involuntary retirement is associated with mandatory retirement policies or poor
health.
Money is an issue! If you retire at 65, and expect to live till 85, do you have enough?
Retirement is a process involving a number of phases. As individuals go through the
phases, they develop, implement, re-evaluate, and enact their plans for the retirement
years. They assess if they have adequate savings and income, place to live and plans for
further work activities.
Some adults find retirement exciting and satisfying; others are disenchanted and
depressed.
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V. Leisure — In older adulthood, the most beneficial activities are linked to physical
activity.
Really good for mental health and reduced mortality
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Work and Retirement
I. Significance of Work in Adulthood Why do we work?
II. Career Development
A. Career Choice = Skills+Interests+Values
B. The Work-Values test.
C. Hollands Career Related Personality Types
*A good person-job fit leads to greater job satisfaction, career
stability, and higher performance!
*Limitations to Holland’s Theory?
D. Higher Education and Non-college adults
E. What is lifelong learning?
III. Finding and Surviving at Work
A. First Career Issues – Reality Shock + Mentors
B. Job Satisfaction. Blue vs. White Collar
C. Stress at Work
D. Alienation and Burn-out
E. Changing Careers – Why or Why not?
F. Age discrimination – Does age affect quality of
work?
G.
Losing your job
IV. Gender, Ethnicity and Discrimination
– Why do women work: extrinsic and intrinsic reasons
– Gender-role socialization
– Discontinuous careers
– Discrimination and Glass ceiling
– Occupational segregation
– Multiple Roles – Combining work and family.
– Occupational Regret
V. Leisure
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– Which activities?
– How do we choose them? (Intrinsic motivation,
personality, perceived competence, health, income,
social influence)
– Developmental Differences. Older people –
volunteer work.
VI. Retirement
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PSY 313 Adulthood + Aging
GROUP ASSIGNMENT – Analyze this case based on at least five things you’ve read
and learned about career development, work life, and gender. Use your text!!
Norma was 20 when she married Phil. Back then she was very happy quit her nursing
training program to stay home and manage their tiny new home and look forward to the
eventual birth of their three boys. Twelve years later when the boys were starting middle
school, Phil got laid off from his job from a small electric company where he had great
hands-on skills and was able to solve the most challenging mechanical and electrical
problems – it paid well! But then it became necessary for Norma to go to work to help out
the family with financial necessities. Plus, Phil’s father was having some major health
problems since he retired after 45 years working in a bakery, making the most creative and
finest desserts and treats.
She worked in a clerical job in a town office, while Phil searched for a new job and helped
the boys get to school and managed their after school activities. While in her tedious office
(which paid well and had flexible hours and she was good at) job, Norma came in contact
with a recruiter from the Fire Department who encouraged Norma to join a high-intensity
training program to be an Emergency Medical Technician. Eventually Norma completed
the training and found she really loved being an EMT. She was well-liked and offered a
permanent position that paid good money. Phil found another job and was back to work
during the days. Meanwhile, Norma had to manage her work schedule so that she could
care for the boys and cover the household duties, AND help out with the care of Phil’s dad
– this was really hard. She and Phil argued, and he urged her to quit and stay home. But
Norma had finally settled into a career she loved. Another irritating aspect of Norma’s
career had to do with some of the guys who had been with the Fire Dept for many years –
they often made rude comments to her about being a “fire mommy” and Norma suspected
she was getting many undesirable shifts and assignments.
Holland’s Hexagon
John Holland created a hexagonal model that shows the relationship between the personality types
and environments.
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Notice that the personality types closest to each other are more alike than those farther away. You
can see this most clearly when you compare the personalities opposite each other, on the hexagon.
For example, read the description of the types for Realistic and Social. You will see that they are
virtually the opposite of each other. On the other hand, Social and Artistic are not that far apart.
Holland Types
1. Realistic: Prefers real-world problems and
working with objects. Practical, strong and
active, good motor skills
2. Investigative: Enjoys working with ideas. .
Introspective, analytical, curious, task oriented.
Might become a scientist or engineer
3. Artistic: Person is emotional and high in need
for individual expression. (Unconventional,
creative, introspective, independent). Might be a
visual or musical artist, or a writer
4. Social: Likes interacting with people, gravitates
toward human services (Sociable, responsible,
humanistic, religious) Might be a teacher.
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5. Enterprising: (Adventurous, high verbal
abilities, popular, self-confident, high energy.
Drawn to sales, supervisory positions or politics
6. Conventional: Likes well-structured tasks.
Conscientious, efficient, obedient, orderly. Good
at certain business fields.
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Higher Education
WHY IS HIGHER EDUCATION IMPORTANT?
In 2020: 37.5% of Americans achieved a bachelor’s
degree
– Women exceed men for bachelor + master’s degrees,
but men exceed women in doctoral and professional
degrees.
– Over 40% of undergrad students are 24 years or older;
56% are women
SO: Who are these “non-traditional” students?
Bachelor’s degree attainment by racial group 2015-2019:
White 33.5%
Non-Hispanic White 35.8%
Black 21.6%
Hispanic/Latino 16.4%
American Indian/Alaska Native 15.0%
Asian 54.3%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 17.8%
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