Conclusion: The Synthesis of Autonomy and Relatedness in Age-Dissimilar Couplings

Abstract

At the beginning of this book, I pointed to the great deal of attention that has recently been paid to age-dissimilar relationships. This is particularly true of female-older partnerships: so-called cougar-toyboy relationships. This attention is perhaps most visible within the mainstream media. In Australia and elsewhere, for instance, there has been extensive newspaper and magazine coverage of numerous age-dissimilar relationships between celebrities (Lawton & Callister 2010; for examples see Hendrie 2009; Retter 2009). Furthermore, recent visual and print media have explored both male-older and female-older relationships. Among these are many popular television shows, films, and written texts, such as those discussed in Chapter 3 (American Beauty 2001; Hambourg 2008; Summer Heights High 19 September 2007).