Chapter 11 Physical and Cognitive Development in Early

Chapter 11 Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood Power. Points developed by Nicholas Greco IV, College of Lake County, Grayslake, IL (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Emerging Adulthood § Emerging adulthood -- transition from adolescence to adulthood ü 18– 25 years of age § Five key features characterize emerging adulthood: ü Identity exploration, especially in love and work ü Instability ü Self-focused ü Feeling in-between ü The age of possibilities when individuals have an opportunity to transform their lives (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Markers of Becoming an Adult § Most widely recognized marker: holding a permanent, full-time job § Economic independence is often a long process § Taking responsibility for oneself § Developing emotional control (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

From High School to College § Replays the top-dog phenomenon of transferring from the oldest/most powerful group of students to the youngest/least powerful § It involves movement to a larger, more impersonal school structure § Includes interaction with peers from more diverse geographical and ethnic backgrounds § Has an increased focus on achievement and its assessment (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Physical Performance and Development § Most of us reach our peak physical performance before the age of 30, often between the ages of 19 and 26 § During this age period we also begin to decline in physical performance § Signs of decline around age 30 üSagging chins and protruding abdomens üLessening of physical abilities üSensory systems show little change in early adulthood (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Health § Emerging adults have more than twice the mortality rate of adolescents § Few chronic health problems § Fewer colds and respiratory problems than when they were children § Few stop to think about how their personal lifestyles will affect their health later (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

(c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Obesity § Obesity -- having a body mass index of 30 or more § Obesity is linked to increased risk of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease § Overweight and obesity are also associated with mental health problems (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Dieting and Exercise § Dieting has become an obsession with many Americans § Few are successful in keeping weight off long-term § The most effective programs include exercise § Aerobic exercise -- sustained exercise that stimulates heart and lung activity (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Substance Abuse § By mid-twenties, many young adults have reduced their use of alcohol and drugs § Binge drinking ümore common among college men than women üproblems include missing classes, physical injuries, troubles with police, having unprotected sex § Pregaming (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Substance Abuse § By mid-twenties, many young adults have reduced their use of alcohol and drugs § Binge drinking ümore common among college men than women üproblems include missing classes, physical injuries, troubles with police, having unprotected sex § Pregaming (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Binge Drinking in the Adolescence – Early Childhood Transition § INSERT FIGURE 11. 3 HERE (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sexual Activity in Emerging Adulthood § Emerging adulthood is a time when most individuals are “both sexually active and unmarried” § Males have more casual sexual partners § Casual sex is more common in emerging adulthood than in young adulthood (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Heterosexual Attitudes and Behavior § Americans tend to fall into three categories: ü One-third have sex twice a week or more ü One-third a few times a month ü One-third a few times a year or not at all § Married and cohabiting couples have sex more often § Most Americans do not engage in kinky sexual acts § Adultery is the exception not the rule § Men think about sex more than women do (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sources of Sexual Orientation § Sexual orientation is likely a continuum from exclusive male-female relations to exclusive same-sex relations § An individual’s sexual orientation—samesex, heterosexual, or bisexual—is determined by a combination of genetic, hormonal, cognitive, and environmental factors (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Attitudes and Behavior of Lesbians and Gay Males § Many gender differences that appear in heterosexual relationships occur in samesex relationships § Brown believes that lesbians and gay males üDevelop a bicultural identity to create new ways of defining themselves üAdapt best when they don’t define themselves in polarities (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sexually Transmitted Infections § Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) -diseases that are primarily contracted through intercourse and/or oral-genital and anal-genital sex § Most prevalent STIs übacterial infections -- gonorrhea, syphilis, and chlamydia üviruses -- genital herpes, genital warts, and HIV, which can lead to AIDS (National Center for Health Statistics, 2010) (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

(c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) § Has changed sexual behavior and has created significant public fear § HIV -- a sexually transmitted infection that destroys the body’s immune system § The virus breaks down and overpowers the immune system, which leads to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) § For an individual sick with AIDS, a common cold can be life-threatening (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Protecting Yourself from STIs § Strategies for protecting against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections include: üKnow your risk status as well as your partner’s üObtain medical examinations üHave protected, not unprotected, sex üAvoid having sex with multiple partners (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Forcible Sexual Behavior and Sexual Harassment § Sex often involves the exercise of power § Rape -- forcible sexual intercourse with a person who does not give consent § Male rapists share the following characteristics: üaggression enhances their sense of power or masculinity üthey are angry at women in general üthey want to hurt and humiliate their victims (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Rape Victims § Rape is a traumatic experience § Victims initially feel shock and numbness and often are acutely disorganized § As victims strive to get their lives back to normal, they may experience depression, fear, anxiety, and increased substance use and/or sexual dysfunctions for months or years (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Date Rape § Date or acquaintance rape -- coercive sexual activity directed at someone with whom the victim is at least casually acquainted üTwo-thirds of college freshman women report having been date-raped or experienced attempted date rape at least once üTwo-thirds of college men admit that they fondle women against their will üHalf admit to forcing sexual activity (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Sexual Harassment § Sexual harassment -- manifestation of power of one person over another üranges from inappropriate sexual remarks and physical contact to blatant propositions and sexual assaults ümay result in psychological consequences for the victim § Prevention -- to provide equal opportunities to develop a career and obtain education in a climate free of sexual harassment (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Cognitive Stages § Piaget concluded adolescents and adults think qualitatively in the same way üformal operational thought is the final stage in cognitive development; characterizes adults as well as adolescents § Piaget believed that adults increased their knowledge in a specific area § Many adults do not think in formal operational ways at all (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Realistic and Pragmatic Thinking § As young adults face the constraints of reality, which work promotes, their idealism decreases § Schaie proposed that in early adulthood individuals often switch from acquiring knowledge to applying knowledge as they pursue success in their work (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Reflective and Relativistic Thinking § In Perry’s view, the absolutist, dualistic thinking of adolescence gives way to the reflective, relativistic thinking of adulthood § Others believe that reflective thinking is an important indicator of cognitive change in young adults (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Postformal Thought § Postformal thought -- understanding that the correct answer to a problem requires reflective thinking and can vary situationally üincludes the belief that solutions to problems need to be realistic and that emotion and subjective factors can influence thinking (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Creativity § Early adulthood is a time of great creativity for some people § Although a decline in creativity is often found in the fifties and later, the decline is not as great as commonly thought § There is extensive individual variation in the lifetime output of creative individuals (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Stimulating Adults’ Creativity § Steps toward a more creative life include cultivating your curiosity and interest üTry to be surprised by something every day üTry to surprise at least one person every day üEach day write what surprised you and how you surprised others; keep a journal üWhen something sparks your interest, follow it üWake up in the morning with a specific goal üSpend time in settings that stimulate your creativity (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Careers and Work § Important themes of early adulthood: earning a living, choosing an occupation, establishing a career, and developing in a career üby mid-twenties, many individuals have completed their education or training and started to enter a full-time occupation üthrough the remainder of early adulthood, individuals often seek to establish their emerging career in a particular field and improve their financial standing (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

The Impact of Work § Work defines people in fundamental ways üInfluences financial standing, housing, the way they spend their time, where they live, their friendships, and their health üWork creates a structure and rhythm to life that is often missed when individuals do not work for an extended period üMost individuals spend one-third of their lives at work (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

(c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Unemployment § Unemployment produces stress regardless of whether the job loss is temporary, cyclical, or permanent § Stress comes not only from a loss of income and the resulting financial hardships but also from decreased selfesteem (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Dual-Career Couples § Dual-career couples may have particular problems finding a balance between work and the rest of life üdivision of responsibility for work and family has changed ühusbands are taking increased responsibility and showing greater interest in families and parenting üwomen are taking increased responsibility for breadwinning (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Diversity in the Workplace § Ethnic and gender diversity is increasing in the workplace in nearly every developed country and in many professions üLatinos are projected to constitute a larger percentage of the labor force than African Americans by 2018 üGlass ceiling -- invisible barrier to career advancement preventing women and ethnic minorities from holding managerial or executive jobs (c) 2012 The Mc. Graw-Hill Companies, Inc.