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Lifespan Development

Key Terms

Lifespan DevelopmentKey Terms

Key Terms

boomerang child
young adult child who returns to live with their parents after a period of living independently
caregiver burden
potential negative psychological, social, and financial impacts of providing unpaid care for family members
compensatory model
perspective that predicts that individuals will seek out and use positive interactions within one relationship or role to counterbalance the negative effects or missing benefits from another relationship or role
defense mechanism
psychological strategy to manage anxiety and stress triggered by developmental challenges
egalitarian marriage
marriage in which responsibilities are shared equally between partners, and roles are not prescribed according to traditional gender role stereotypes
empty nest
household of parents whose adult children have left the parental home to live independently
eudaimonic happiness
happiness derived from a perceived sense of purpose or meaning in life
family of choice
individuals who are not necessarily related by marriage or biology but have formed a committed kin-like network to play significant roles in each other’s lives
family systems theory
perspective that family dynamics are best understood as part of a complex and developing family unit, rather than as singular individuals or dyadic relationships
generativity versus stagnation
sixth stage of Erikson’s psychosocial development, which involves focusing one's energy on giving back to others and continuing to have productive and creative endeavors
gray divorce
divorces among couples after age fifty years
launching
process during which children transition from dependence on their parents into independent young adults
role enhancement
when people experience role expansion as rewarding
role expansion
increase in the scope of behaviors, positions, and responsibilities expected of a person
role strain
when the increased responsibilities associated with occupying multiple roles result in a decline in subjective well-being
spillover model
perspective that predicts the emotions generated by interactions within one relationship or environment can spread into other interactions or environments, creating a positive correlation among a person’s mood and behaviors across separate relationships or roles
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