Which of the following is NOT a task of middle adulthood?

• A. Finding adult recreational activities
• B. Achieving in one's chosen career
• C. Helping teenage children become healthy and happy adults
• D. Learning to relate with members of the opposite sex

Answer: (D)

In middle adulthood, people tend to focus on consolidating their career, supporting and guiding the next generation, and finding meaningful ways to enjoy life through leisure and personal growth. Learning to relate with members of the opposite sex is something that typically develops during adolescence, when dating and forming intimate relationships begin. By this stage, those patterns are already established for many, so the ongoing developmental tasks center on maintaining work and family roles, mentoring or supervising younger people, and choosing activities that fit the current life situation. That makes “learning to relate with members of the opposite sex” not a typical middle-age task, while the other options describe common middle-adulthood activities.