Early Adulthood - Physical

Front 1

Describe the transition from adolescence to adulthood (emerging adulthood at approx 18 to 25 years).

Back 1

- are more intensely exploring their identity & experience instability in different contexts (love, work, education)
- increased freedom and responsibility
- as adults, a secure attachment style in close r/s will benefit them
- Erikson's stage (intimacy VS isolation)
- love and possibly marriage become central aspects
- many young adults are not only marrying later or not at all but also are having children later than in past decades
- many young adults also cohabit with a romantic partner

Front 2

What are the markers of entry into adulthood?

Back 2

Developing countries:
- marriage
- Apache girl's rite of passage (at 13 year old)

Developed countries:
- social status factors (economic independence & graduation/education)
- holding a more or less permanent full-time job
- taking responsibility for the consequences of one's actions & making independent decisions
- developing emotional control

Front 3

Give an example of rite of passage from the local context.

Back 3

- National Service (Rites of passage cause us to believe that we have earned our status: approach the time of separation; as we undergo transition, wondering whether we will make it out alive; the re-incorporation stage as we return triumphantly - and the boy is now a man)

Front 4

What are the two main criteria for becoming an adult?

Back 4

Exploration and experimentation

Front 5

What are the 5 key features characterizing emerging adulthood?

Back 5

1. identity exploration - esp in love & work
2. instability - in love, work and education
3. self-focused - have little time in the way of social obligations, little in the way of duties & commitments to others, which leave them with a great deal of autonomy in running their own lives.
4. feeling in-between - does not consider themselves an adol or full-fledged adult
5. age of possibilities - have an opp to transform their lives

Front 6

What is the transition from high school to college like? (*)

Back 6

(-)
- an important aspect of the transition to adulthood
- top-dog phenomenon
- larger, more impersonal school structure
- interaction with peers from more diverse geographical & sometimes more diverse ethnic backgrounds
- increased focus on achievement and its assessment

(+)
- feel grown up
- more subjects to choose from
- more time to spend with peers
- more opp to explore different lifestyles & values
- enjoy greater independence from parental monitoring
- challenged intellectually by academic work

Implications:
- today's college students experience more stress and are more depressed than in the past (pressure to succeed in college, get great jobs, make lots of money, other attributes of stress could include r/s, finances, parental conflicts & expectations)

Front 7

Identify the physical changes in early adulthood, particularly in terms of the peak and slowdown in physical development.

Back 7

- peak physical performance often occurs btw 19 and 26 but toward the later part of early adulthood, physical performance (i.e., muscle tone and strength show signs of decline at around age of 30) tends to slow down. Sagging chins and protruding abdomens also begin to appear for the first time
- are the healthiest
- although young adults know what it takes to prevent illness & promote health, they seldom apply this info to themselves

Front 8

Identify physical and health problems among young adults (*)

Back 8

physical:
- hidden dangers in the peaks of performance and health - push their bodies too far
- exercise - benefits physical & mental health, improve self-concept, reduces anxiety & depression

health problems:
- personal lifestyle - few stop to think about how their lifestyles will affect their health later (e.g. not eating regular meals, smoking, drinking, failing to exercise, sleeping only a few hours a night); poor health can impact life satisfaction
- obesity - obsession in dieting; one main concern focuses on yo-yo dieting where the person is in a recurring state of dieting & weight gain; increased risk of disease, mental health problems or depression
- 3 main areas of substance abuse:
1. binge drinking (missing classes, physical injuries, having unprotected sex) - diff in gender, religion; may lead to alcoholism, which impairs social r/s & health
2. smoking - more young adults (males & females) are smoking these days; may become an addiction - withdrawal symptoms

- addiction - two theories of addiction

Front 9

What are the two theories of addiction?

Back 9

1. disease model of addiction - biologically based, lifelong disease, loss of control over beh & require medical and/or spiritual treatment for recovery, addiction is either inherited/developed early in life, not the cause of current problems, can never completely rid themselves of it

2. life-process model of addiction - to understand, we need to place in context as part of people's lives, personalities, r/s, environment & perspectives, seen rather as a habitual response & a source of gratification or security that can be best understood in the context of social r/s & experiences

Front 10

Discuss sexuality and its problems in early adulthood (*)

Back 10

- emerging/early adulthood is a time when individuals are sexually active & unmarried
- emerging adults have sexual intercourse with more individuals than young adults but have sex less frequently

lesbians, bisexuals & gays:
- no difference in terms of beh, attitudes & adjustments
- higher prevalence of mental disorder (stress associated with minority status involving stigma, prejudice & discrimination)
- special concern involve hate crimes and stigma-related experiences

Increasing concern - date rape (internet chat room/fb), sexual transmitted infections, forcible sexual behavior (exercise of power leading to rape & sexual harassment)