According to Erikson, young adults face the conflict of intimacy versus isolation. Successful resolution requires a balance of independence and intimacy. Levinson suggested that the life course consists of a series of eras in which individuals revise their life structure to meet changing needs. Vaillant expanded Erikson’s stages to include the pursuit of intimacy and career during the twenties and thirties. Conformity to a culturally determined timetable for major life events gives young adults confidence, while departure from it can lead to distress.

As in other age periods, intimate partners in early adulthood resemble each other in characteristics and background. The ethological and social learning theories provide perspectives on how gender roles influence criteria for mate selection. Romantic love is the basis for marriage in Western cultures, but the balance among passion, intimacy, and commitment changes as relationships progress. Friendships continue to be based on trust, with women’s friendships remaining more intimate, and sibling relationships often become stronger. Other- sex friendships occur less often and do not last as long as same- sex friendships.

Significant diversity characterizes the sequence and timing of the modern family life cycle. While marriages are becoming more egalitarian, the majority are still relatively traditional in terms of gender roles. Modern couples are having fewer children and postponing parenthood longer than in past generations. The transition to parenthood profoundly alters the lives of husbands and wives and can threaten marital satisfaction. Special interventions can ease this transition.

More adults are remaining single today, and cohabitation has increased dramatically. The number of couples who choose to remain childless has increased, as well. About half of marriages will end in divorce, and many divorcees will remarry, resulting in blended families with unique challenges. Never-married parenthood has increased and often contributes to financial difficulties. Families headed by homosexuals fare well except for difficulties related to living in an unsupportive society.

Men’s career paths are generally continuous, while women’s are discontinuous due to child bearing. Although women and ethnic minorities have entered nearly all professions, they tend to be concentrated in less- well-paid positions and face unique challenges. Dual-earner couples, now the norm, must resolve more complex career decisions than single-earner families, but benefit from increased income and self-fulfillment of the wife.