Psy201 Week6 Paper

Running Head: Article Summary

Article Summary

University of Phoenix

Prof. Sandra Knight, Psy.D.

Summary

The article that I chose covers a study preformed adults social behaviors, and the many possible contributing factors for a smaller social group as compared in previous teen years. The smaller sized social groups found in adult circles was construed by researchers as a phenomenon of society’s rejection of older adults. Laura Carstensen’s (1999) socioemotional selectivity theory, however, posits that decrease in social network size is a developmental process of social selection that begins in early adulthood. If you compare this to some of you own habits as a teen through adult hood this starts to makes since. As you get older you priorities chance as well as the criteria for social selection of you peer group. Having fewer friends that you can count on that chair your views and you maintain more meaningful contact with become more practical then hundreds of friends on Facebook as a teen. Carstensen’s (1999) states that close social partners provide emotionally meaningful interactions and satisfaction with family members, including siblings, spouse, and children, increases with age; and as we get older the importance of these change and we place higher value on close relationships over vanity or fleeting connections. The overall study is kind of old, however it points out some observations that I have main in my own life. When I was in high school I had over thirty close friends (perceived at the time) and 15 networked friends that I knew through others; mind you this was before Facebook and MySpace so the numbers make more sense. If I compared it to now as an adult I only socialize with four friends really on a day to day basis, like my nephews, sister and two close friends. I just didn’t want to keep up with the drama and keeping up so many relationships and making sure they all get enough time can become taxing when you have a life with...