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
Reciprocity
the tendency to respond in kind when we feel admired and complimented
Romantic Love
a form of love fueled by passion and feelings of intimacy
Intimacy
the experience of warmth toward another person that arises from feelings of closeness and connectedness
Passion
intense sexual desire for another person
Commitment
the decision to devote oneself to a cause or another person
Monogamy
the practice of having a sexual relationship with only one person at a time
Polyamory
the practice of consenting partners maintaining an “open” sexual relationship
Same-Sex Marriage
marriage between two gay males or between two lesbians
Homogamy
marriage between two similar individuals
What are the “Big Five” adult role transitions?
left home
completed education
started a career
married
had kid(s)
What is emerging adulthood?
most people do not fell they have fully attained adulthood until age 25
neurological changes and cultural demands as support
decision-making, impulse control, self-regulation
technological revolution, sexual revolution, feminist movement, youth movement
What does physical development look like in early adulthood?
young adults are at their height of sensory sharpness, strength, reaction time, and cardiovascular fitness
young adults are at their tallest
most young adults perceive their health as very good or excellent
What does the brain and nervous system look like in early adulthood?
brain maturation is reached around age 30
developmental process reaches a balance
most functions have specialized in specific areas of the brain
integration of brain functions become fully developed (response inhibition, frontal lobes and limbic system)
functional and connectivity can still be strengthened (enhanced cognitive training, physical exercise)
What are the senses like in early adulthood?
as sharp as they will ever be
What is physical fitness in early adulthood?
most athletes are at their peak
aerobic fitness, strength, and speed
begins to decline between ages 35 and 40
What is reproductive capacity in early adulthood?
risk of miscarriage and other complications starts to increase after age 30
fertility drops steadily after the 20s (more slowly for men)
What is the immune system in early adulthood?
adults produce fewer antibodies than children and adolescents
highly responsive to psychological stress and depression
What is the socioeconomic determinants of health?
early childhood development
education
socioeconomic status
personal health behaviors
culture
gender
employment
social support
How is the health care system determinants of health?
medical services
hospital and medical clinics
community and home-based health care services
medical and health care professionals
How are biology and genetics determinants of health?
organs and body systems, DNA
How is physical environment a determinant of health?
adequate housing
safe workplace and communities
clean air, water, and soil
What is health in early adulthood?
as a group, tend to be healthy
young adults are less susceptible to cold/illness
but are the most affected by most STIs
deaths are uncommon
injuries and poisons (intentional or unintentional) are the most common cause of death (70%), followed by cancer (8%)
What is obesity in early adulthood?
in the rise (30% of adults)
factors: physical activity, access to healthy food, levels of education, income, heredity
adaptive thermogenesis: survival strategy that does not always help, sudden reaction in how much you eat or drastic change in diet, but body thinks your in a famine (survival mode) so won’t lose weight like we thought we would
What is exercise in early adulthood?
30 minutes a day, 5 time a week
increases cardiovascular fitness
lung capacity increases
muscles become stronger
body becomes more flexible
reduces osteoporosis in later life
optimizes the immune response
decreases stress, anxiety, and depression
increases sense of control and feelings of accomplishment
increases longevity
decreases dementia
What is substance abuse?
it’s progressive
substance dependency
tolerance
abstinence syndrome
What are depressants drugs?
slow down nervous system
alcohol, narcotics, sedatives
What are stimulant drugs?
speed up heart beat and other bodily functions
nicotine, cocaine, and amphetamines
What are hallucinogenic drugs?
induce hallucinations
marijuana, ecstasy, LSD
What is the effect of stress on health in early adulthood?
perceived stress is rising among younger adults
rise in heart rate, blood pressure, respiration and sweating
reduction of body’s ability to deal with stress
more susceptible to diseases
immune system shuts down
psychosomatic disorders
ulcers, asthma, arthritis, high blood pressure
What are wellness factors?
healthy habits: related to lower risk of mortality, disease and disability rates, physical exercise, not smoking, drinking, over or under eating, getting regular sleep
social support: related to lower risk of disease, death, and depression
sense of control (self-efficacy + locus of control) is related to better health outcomes, optimism has a positive effect on the immune system
Why does sexual activity peak in early adulthood?
combination of youth and opportunity
Canadians have more sex partners in a lifetime than people in most other countries, and we are also more sexually adventurous, spending more time on foreplay and intercourse
What are menstrual problems that occur in early adulthood?
dysmenorrhea: pelvic cramps, bloating
menstrual migraines
amenorrhea: too skinny to get a period
premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): don’t sleep well, isolation, big mood swings, need medical support
What is intimate partner violence?
the most common form of violence against women in Canada, particularly indigenous women
higher risk in dating partners than spouses, and in rural than urban settings
What are the risk factors associated with intimate partner violence?
childhood maltreatment, being younger, heavy drinking, illegal use of drugs, domineering partner, cultural attitudes
What are the effects of intimate partner violence?
physical injury, sexual/reproductive disorders, homicide, mental health issues
What are strategies of prevention of intimate partner violence?
training of health professionals to recognize signs of violence, providing victims with problem-solving skills
What is sexual assault?
women are at higher risk, 37 incidents per 1,000 women, 5 incident per 1,000 men, 1 in 12 college men commit acts that are legally defined as rape
most occur in the context of established social and romantic relationships
1/4 of sexual assaults are committed by strangers
workplace sexual harassment: comments, gestures, contact
What are the effects of sexual assault?
sexual dysfunctions, PTSD, physical trauma
psychological effects can persist for more than a decade
How can sexual assault be prevented?
training to avoid situations in which sexual assaults are more likely
training in verbal and physical self-defense techniques
What is mental health in early adulthood?
interrelation of factors
anxiety and mood disorders: most common among Canadians, depression is higher in early adulthood
personality disorders: long-term and consistent across contexts
schizophrenia: delusions and hallucinations, too much pruning?
alcohol and substance disorders: peak in early adulthood
eating disorders
What is Labouvie-Vief’s Theory?
pragmatic thought
willingness to accept reality and compromise
cognitive-affective complexity: harbor positive and negative aspects at the same time
What is post-formal thought?
intellectual processes are at their peak
shift towards relativism: beyond Piaget’s formal operations, comes with higher education
dialectical thought: paradox, uncertainty
reflective judgement: consider different assumptions for controversial issues
less egocentric
critique: highly speculative, little empirical evidence
What is IQ in early adulthood?
IQ scores remains stable
verbal skills increase a little
spatial skills decline a little
What is crystallized and fluid intelligence in early adulthood?
basically no decline
crystallized intelligence may increase
fluid intelligence starts to decline around age 35-40
How does post-secondary education impact development in early adulthood?
almost 2/3 of Canadians ages 25 to 64 have a post-secondary education
students are exposed to “all kinds of people”
earn much more than those who do not have post-secondary education: get more promotions, less likely to be unemployed for long periods of time, better assessment of academic skills
employment advantage
more Canadian women than men
Why is post-secondary education inaccessible to some?
low family income
parents with no post-secondary education
poor academic performance
mental and neurodevelopmental conditions
What are extrinsic rewards for choosing a career?
outside of self
earning a living
fringe benefits
future security
What are intrinsic rewards for choosing a career?
self-motivating
work ethic
self-identity
self-fulfillment
self-worth
socialization
public roles
What is the fantasy/growth stage in career development?
unrealistic, based on social status
until end of elementary school
What is the tentative choice/exploratory stage in career development?
base choice on abilities, interests, and status
throughout high school
What is the realistic choice/established stage?
narrow choices
takes into account rewards, requirements. and skills
throughout university
What is the maintenance stage of career development?
settling, sense of moving forward
late 30’s
What factors contribute to happiness at work?
match between personality and career
balance between work and family
telecommuting and flextime
job prospects
work intensity
income and benefits
What are gender differences in work?
men still make more money
women tend to move in and out of work at least once to have and raise children
men have more leisure time
women continue to perform more household labor
What are the factors that cause fail-to-launch syndrome?
cost of living
parenting styles
mental health
What is individuation?
integrating own values/beliefs with parents’ and society’s
separate from parents: key goal for men in our society
related to financial and emotional support received from parents
What is Erikson’s psychosocial stage of intimacy vs. isolation in early adulthood?
engage in a supportive, affectionate relationship
someone to share life with: life partner, supportive friend
without losing sense of self
lack of identity is related to high divorce rate in young marriages
failure: loneliness, isolation, fear of relationships
What is Levinson’s life structures in early adulthood?
balance and conflicts in a person’s roles and relationship
we live through cycles of stability and instability
novice phase: adjustment (“the dream”)
mid-era phase: reassessment and reorganization (“where is my life going”)
culmination phase: creation of a new life structure (“financial and emotional investment”)
critique: not a lot of research saying this is accurate
What are evolutionary theories of attraction?
cross-cultural studies suggest that men look for younger, attractive women, and women look for men with higher socioeconomic status
parental investment theory: minimum investment, but also child-rearing requirements
What is the social role theory of attraction?
present day realities rather than natural selection pressures
women’s and men’s mating preferences changed as women gained economic power
assortative mating, homogamy: attraction similarity hypothesis and reciprocity, race and ethnicity, age, level of education, and religion
What is Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love?
intimacy: feelings of closeness, affection, and connectedness
passion: drives relating sex, physical closeness, and romance
commitment: long-term determination to maintain relationship
well matched if corresponding levels of passion, intimacy, and commitment
be aware of jealousy
What is loneliness?
tends to peak during adolescence
poor relationship
associated with physical health and depression
What is the single life?
became a common Canadian lifestyle
alternative and not “temporary”
impact on life depends on the reason for status
What is cohabituation?
rise in the past years
more likely to divorce
life structure from cohabitation and marriage are different
less homogamous (similar)
less traditional and committed to values associated with marriage
What are characteristics of relationship satisfaction in marriage?
extraversion
conscientiousness
similar levels of openness
similar levels of agreeableness
What is the role of attachment in marriage?
secure: happy and confident about the future successes of their relationship
avoidant: less invested in their relationships, higher break up rates, feel lonely
ambivalent/resistant: overly invested in their relationship, repeated break ups with the same partner, low self-esteem
What are the types of enduring and stable marriages?
validating couples: mutual respect, listening, disagreement does not escalate
volatile couples: disagree/squabble a lot, but more positive than negative encounters
avoidant couples: agree to disagree, no rancor, conflict minimizers
What the types of unsuccessful marriages?
hostile/engaged couples: frequent hot arguments, lack humor and affection
hostile/detached couples: fight regularly, lack affection and support
What are the psychological effects of divorce?
major stressor, increases likelihood for depression
What are economic effects of divorce?
women are adversely affected, men improve slightly
What is the mixed emotional experience of parenthood?
for 92% of Canadians is the most important thing one can do
parents are physically exhausted
the more secure the relationship, the more resilient the parents
preparation for pre- and post-natal baby care is very important
What is the impact of parenthood on early adults?
postpartum depression (10 to 15%), likelihood increased by major life stressors during pregnancy or after baby’s birth, but best predictor is depression during the pregnancy
positive behavioral changes but marital satisfaction tends to decline
protective factors: education level and time as a couple before birth
motherhood earnings gap
