Development of Sexual Behavior

Stages of Development: Old Age

Gender Role

It has often been observed that old couples begin to resemble each other as the years and decades go by. This does not mean their physical appearance as much as their general bearing, their overall attitude, the way they react to each other and to their surroundings. Externally, their gender differences may be as obvious as ever, but their gradually deepening mutual adjustment has, over time, created a special balance between them and a softening of some formerly overly pronounced feminine and masculine traits. Of course, this is by no means true of all couples, and it hardly applies to those who live alone. Still, the observation again points to a truth mentioned earlier: Even the gender roles, so early established and so basic to all subsequent social behavior, can be and often are modified in adulthood. and this process of modification may very well continue in old age. Many parents readjust their division of labor once their children have grown and left home. An additional factor may be the retirement from the regular work force. The new freedom to follow one’s interests can mean that the woman takes up new challenges in volunteer work or as a student at some college or university. The man, on the other hand, may prefer to stay home cooking, cleaning, and pursuing some hobby. Or the couple may embark on a whole new enterprise together as equals. Even in old age, gender roles can still change in many ways, and these changes may also affect female/male relationships. Indeed, the ability to abandon earlier behavior patterns and to rewrite traditional scripts for oneself may be crucial to a successful transition from adulthood to old age, at least in the sphere of human sexuality. For example: One of the greatest obstacles to continued happiness may be the demand the the male should always take the initiative, and that there is something wrong with a man’s “passivity” during lovemaking. Conversely, older women may fear to lose their femininity if they take the lead and initiate erotic variations. An aging couple is more likely to find satifaction without such inhibitions.