Early Adulthood Flashcards
Emerging Adulthood
a theoretical period of development, spanning the ages of 18 to 25, when young people in developed nations engage in extended role exploration
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
Substance Abuse
a persistent pattern of use of a substance characterized by frequent intoxication and impairment of physical, social, or emotional well-being
Substance Dependence
a persistent pattern of use of a substance that is accompanied by physiological addiction
Tolerance
habituation to a drug such that increasingly higher doses are needed to achieve similar effects
Abstinence Syndrome
a characteristic cluster of symptoms that results from a sudden decrease in the levels of usage of a substance
Hallucinogenics
drugs that give rise to hallucinations
Dysmenorrhea
painful menstruation
Prostaglandins
hormones that cause muscles in the uterine wall to contract, as during labor
Amenorrhea
the absence of menstruation
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
the discomforting symptoms that affect many women during the 4- to 6-day interval preceding their periods
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
a condition similar to but more severe than PMS
Dating Violence
assaults such as verbal threats, pushing, and slapping committed by an individual in an intimate relationship and often leading to injuries that require first aid
Sexual Harassment
deliberate or repeated unwanted comments, gestures, or physical contact
Crystallized Intelligence
one’s intellectual attainments, as shown, for example, by vocabulary and accumulated knowledge
Fluid Intelligence
mental flexibility, the ability to process information rapidly
Dualistic Thinking
dividing the cognitive world into opposites, such as good and bad, or us versus them
Relativistic Thinking
recognition that judgments are often not absolute but are made from a certain belief system or cultural background
Pragmatic Thought
decision making characterized by willingness to accept reality and compromise
Cognitive-Affective Complexity
a mature form of thinking that permits people to harbor positive and negative feelings at the same time about their career choices and other matters
Individuation
the young adult’s process of becoming an individual by means of integrating his or her own values and beliefs with those of his or her parents and society at large
Intimacy Versus Isolation
according to Erik Erikson, the central conflict or life crisis of early adulthood, in which a person develops an intimate relationship with a significant other or risks heading down a path toward social isolation
The Dream
according to Daniel Levinson and his colleagues, the drive to become someone, to leave one’s mark on history, which serves as a tentative blueprint for the young adult
Attraction-Similarity Hypothesis
the view that we tend to develop romantic relationships with people who are similar to ourselves in physical attractiveness and other traits