Chapter 13: Exam 5 Flashcards
Emerging Adulthood
Theoretical period of development, spanning the ages of 18 to 25. In which young people in developed nations engage in extended role exploration.
[in between adolescence and young adulthood]
Jeffrey Arnett 5 features that distinguish the stage of emerging adulthood
- Identity exploration
- Instability
- Self-Focus
- Feeling in-between
- Sense of the possibilities
Identity Exploration
Ages 18 or 20 to about 25 to 30 are on paths to making vital choices in terms of their love lives and career lives [experimenting with romantic partners and career possibilities]
Instability
Americans have, on average about 7 different jobs during the years between 20 and 29. Over this period they frequently change romantic partners, living arrangements, and education direction.
Self-Focus
Not egocentric as in childhood and adolescence. They are freer to make decisions than they were as children or adolescents. More mature and more independent from parental influence.
Feeling In-between
Swimming between adolescents and “real” adulthood.
[Arnett reported what people say when they are asked whether they think they have become adults. Most common answer of 18-to 25-year olds was something like “In some respects yes and in other respects no.”]
Fig 13.1 For Responses
Sense of Possibilities
Have the feeling that they have the opportunity to make dramatic changes in their lives. Many of them leave home for good; others return home for financial reasons, some have a “revolving door.”
Physical Development
*Peaks in early adulthood
[Physical Strength peaks in the 20’s and early 30’s, then slowly declines]
- Most at heights of sensory sharpens strength, reaction time, and cardio vascular fitness.
- Tallest as young adult, remain stable until middle adulthood and decline in late adulthood
- Visual Acuity remains stable until middle adulthood [when decline leads to farsightedness they begin to need reading glasses]
- Hearing begins to decline when reach late 20’s and early 30’s [particularly for tones that are high in pitch]
- Heart muscles becomes more rigid, decreasing max heart rate and reducing ability of the heart to pump enough blood providing oxygen [regular exercise increases cardiovascular and respiratory capacity.]
- Immune System produces fewer white blood cells and disease-fighting ability of those that remain declines
- Fertility in both genders declines, after age 35, women are advised to have fetuses checked for down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities
*May find hair thinning and graying by the end of early adulthood
Leading death for late teenagers and early adult stage
Leading death for late teenagers and early adult in US is accidents, followed by suicide, and homicide.
Truth or Fiction
HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death of young adults in the US today
Fiction
Accidents are the prominent cause of death for young men and women
A poll by CDC of 18,000 young adults, 18 - 24 years olds
- 43% report either no or insufficient physical activity
- 29% (1 in 4) were smokers
- 30% binge drinkers (5 drinks in a row on a single occasions)
- 26% overweight (BMI 25.0 - 29.0)
- 14% obese (BMI 30.0 or above)
- 13% eat recommended amt of fruit
- 9% eat recommended amt of vegetables
Diet and Weight - Biological factors
- Runs in families - hereditary (Biological)
- Efforts by dieting [maintaining a slender profile] may be sabotaged by a mechanism that would help preserve.
Adaptive Thermogenesis
The process by which the body converts food energy (calories) to heat at a lower rate when a person eats less because of, for example, famine or dieting.
[Fatty tissue in the body metabolizes (burns) foods more slowly than muscle.]
Exercise
- CDC recommends 18 and older get 30 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity five days a week.
[substantially reduces the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers (such as the colon.) Also, benefit the brain and cognitive performance and help psychological disorders like anxiety and depression.]
Substance Use and Abuse
*Americans (ages 19-28) are most likely to use alcohol [Table 13.2]
Young adults use alcohol more than teenagers because:
a.)They are more likely emancipated from parental and school rules
b.) Have simply had several years of greater opportunity to experiment with and use drugs
*12th graders use marijuana more than young adults [Table 13.3 & 13.4]
Stress and Health
National Poll by American Psychological Association reports one-third of Americans report living with “extreme stress.”
18-to-32-year-olds reported experiencing stress from:
*money 80%
*work 72%
*housing cost 49%
*the economy 54%
*relationship 63%
*housing cost 49%
Age group most likely to report stress over past 5 years
Sexuality
Sexual activity with a partner usually peaks in the 20s.
Age group has sex most frequently due to some degree of the flood of sex hormones that affected them as adolescents.
Menstrual Problems
50-75% of woman experience discomfort prior to or during menstruation, including:
* dysmenorrhea,
* menstrual migraines
* amenorrhea
* premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
* Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Table 13.5
Early Adulthood Health Problems in the Future
Many are concerned about their careers or college or their social lives and think of health issues – diet, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, excessive drinking – as something they can get to later on.
Dysmenorrhea
Painful menstruation
