Midlife adults who have divorced or never married represent a growing demographic in North America. Despite this fact, little research has examined the dating and sexual behaviours of these individuals. Research has instead focused on the dating and sexual lives of young adults, particularly undergraduate students. The current research program examined young (aged 18-24 years) and midlife (aged 35-54 years) single (or recently single) heterosexual North American adults’ typical first date scripts and their retrospective perceptions of their first date experiences. More specifically, Study 1 examined young and midlife adults’ typical first date scripts. Participants were asked to list at least 20 actions that a woman would typically perform on a first date with someone new, from the beginning of the date to its end, putting the actions in the order in which they would occur. Participants were then instructed to carry out the task a second time, focusing on the actions that a man would typically perform on a first date with someone new. Study 2 examined young and midlife adults’ retrospective accounts of their actual first date scripts, as well as their actual first date sexual behaviour. Participants were asked to list at least 20 actions that they performed on their most recent first date, from the beginning of the date to its end, putting them in the order in which they occurred. They were also asked to complete a revised Guttman scale of sexual behaviours, checking off from a list the behaviours that occurred on their most recent first date. Across both studies, analyses revealed three key patterns with respect to gender roles. First, contrary to expectations, young adults tended to be more traditional than midlife adults with respect to first dates. Second, midlife adult women tended to be less traditional than expected with respect to first dates. Lastly, in keeping with expectations, women were depicted as taking a passive role and men were depicted as taking a more active role in the scripts. Implications of the findings and recommendations for future research follow.

Note: / The present research examined incidents of social stress in the lives of young adults. The goal was to determine the role that friendships might play when young adults engage in social support and conflict resolution to deal with such stress. Three studies examined young adults' friendships in terms of how they fulfill various functions or provide interpersonal resources. Study 1 established that social stressors were common, that a variety of stressful transactions with peers were upsetting to young adults, and that young adults tended to use more approach than avoidance coping. Effective coping in response to social stress was related to perceptions of support from a friend, particularly if young adults felt that their friend was an enjoyable companion and was reliable.[...] / La présente étude examinait la fréquence de stress social dans la vie de jeunes adultes. Le but était de déterminer le rôle que peut jouer l'amitié lorsque de jeunes adultes sont en situation de soutien social ou de résolution de conflits pour faire face a ces stress. Trois études examinent comment les amitiés de jeunes adultes remplissent différentes fonctions ou apportent du soutien interpersonnel. Étude 1 établie la fréquence de stress social, que plusieurs transactions stressantes avec leurs paires étaient bouleversantes pour les jeunes adultes, et que les jeunes adultes avaient plutôt tendances a utiliser des techniques d'approche que d'évitement afin de résoudre ces stress. L'utilité de stratégies de négociation efficaces étaient associées a la perception de soutien d'une amie, surtout si les jeunes adultes croyaient que leur amie était une campagne plaisante et fiable.[...]

Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references (p.38-41).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Montana, 2008. / Title from author supplied metadata. Description based on contents viewed on June 26, 2009. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 168-178).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Ann Lieberman. Dissertation Committee: Douglas M. Sloan. Bibliography: leaves 203-216.

Thesis (M.A.)--Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, 1994. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-98).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, Ill., 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-53).

Thesis (Psy. D.)--Wheaton College Graduate School, Wheaton, Ill., 2001. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-53).

As transformações advindas com a modernidade e com a pós-modernidade alteraram de forma significativa a relação entre as gerações mais novas e as mais velhas. Nas sociedades tradicionais, havia uma hierarquia entre o saber adulto, pautado no passado e na tradição, e a aceitação deste saber por parte dos mais novos. A contemporaneidade e seus discursos fornecem um cenário bastante diferente, no qual a adolescência é tida como ideal, a velocidade das transformações são espantosas e o novo, o moderno, têm seu lugar de destaque nos valores do homem contemporâneo. Neste sentido, imagens solidificadas pelo tempo e pela tradição se alteram, trazendo reflexos nas relações entre jovens e adultos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar a imagem de adulto que os adolescentes de hoje carregam, a partir da avaliação que os últimos fazem dos adultos de hoje, do sentido que os jovens atribuem a este lugar e do que valorizam em um adulto. Participaram da pesquisa um total de 520 alunos do Ensino Médio de escolas públicas e particulares e o instrumento utilizado consistiu em um questionário com 24 questões, cada qual contendo quatro opções de respostas, e duas questões abertas. Os resultados demonstraram uma tendência dos jovens a avaliarem negativamente os adultos em relação a suas atuações na esfera pública (política, meio ambiente, educação e mídia) e a desconfiarem da capacidade dos adultos quanto àqueles atributos tradicionalmente referidos a este lugar (confiança, sabedoria, modelo a ser seguido, ética) e, no entanto, 63% dos sujeitos acreditaram dever obediência aos adultos de hoje. O dinheiro, o desemprego e a competição no mundo do trabalho mostraram-se como uma das preocupações mais importantes dos adultos de hoje e dos jovens em relação ao futuro. Aparentemente, a imagem do adulto, lugar de saber e de guia dos mais novos não apresenta a consistência que tinha no passado e poucos parecem ser os modelos passíveis de admiração disponíveis aos jovens hoje. O significado de ser adulto e de ocupar este lugar parece tender a um trabalho e a uma construção exclusivamente pessoal e individual. / The transformations took place during modernity and post-modernity changed in a significant way the relationship between the younger and older generations. In traditional societies, there was a hierarchy between the adult knowledge, based on past and tradition, and the acceptance of this knowledge by the younger people. The contemporary and its discourses provide a different scenario indeed, in which the adolescence is taken as an ideal, the speed of transformations is astonishing and the new, the modern has a predominant place in the values of the contemporary man. In that sense, images solidified by time and tradition change, altering relationships between young people and adults. The aim of this work was to investigate the image of adulthood that todays adolescents have, from the evaluation that they make of todays adults, from the sense that young people have of this place and from what they value in an adult. Participated in the research a total of 520 students from public and private high schools and the tool consisted of a questionnaire with 24 questions, each containing four options, and two open questions. The results reveal a tendency from young people to evaluate negatively the adults concerning their performances in the public sphere (political, environment, education and media) and question the adults capacity on those attributes traditionally attributed to that place (confidence, wisdom, model to be followed, ethical) and, nevertheless, 63% of individuals believed to owe obedience to todays adults. Money, unemployment and competition for jobs in the world were revealed as some of the greatest concerns of todays adults and of young people about their future. Apparently, the image of an adult, place of knowledge and guide for the younger ones doesnt show the consistency that it had in the past and few seem to be the possible models of admiration available for today\'s young people. The meaning of being an adult and occupying that place seems to lean toward a work and a construction exclusively personal and individual.