Early adulthood Flashcards
When is physical height achieved?
mid 20s
When does strength peak?
mid 30s then slow decline
What are age-related changes in early adulthood
cardiovascular, respiratory, sensory
[organ reserve decline - felt at full use, not casual use]
What is pathological ageing in early adulthood
caused by illness, abnormality, genetic factors, unhealthy environment
What are health compromising behaviours in early adulthood
smoking, alcohol, drug abuse, unsafe sex, eating disorders
Why are 12-25s vulnerable to chemical dependency
changes in brain chemistry and neurocircuitry
What percentage of 18-24s classify selves as binge drinkers?
33%
41% have passed out at least once
22% have passed out five or more times
What is eustress?
positive stress
What is distress?
negative stress
What is General Adaptation Syndrome [pattern of stress responses]
- Alarm [body mobilised to fight stress]
- Resistance [body rallies to cope with stressor]
- Exhaustion [body collapses - illness results]
Syndrome irreversible, accumulates to constitute signs of ageing.
What is primary appraisal of stress?
appraise present harm, future damage, challenge to overcome and benefit
What is secondary appraisal
Assessment of coping resources
What does experience of stress depend on?
balance between primary and secondary appraisals
What does stress reaction depend on?
Controllability and predictability of stimulus
What is post-formal thought?
knowledge is relative, non-absolute
accept and synthesise contradictions
problem finding stage
What is Schaie’s achieving stage?
Young adults directing intelligence towards specific goals rather than every inclination.
Consideration of contexts and consequnces [given competing expectations]`
What is contextual relativism [Perry]
meaning of an event depends on context, and on the framework of the knower who was trying to understand the event
making commitment to a particular intellectual and ethical point of view
What is critique of Perry?
Harvard males; homogenous and privileged.
Belenky’s research ‘women’s ways of knowing’ indicated not all people reached contextual relativism [primarily only those in university education]
What is critique of Kohlberg’s moral reasoning stages?
no social or emotional context
What do timing of events theories do?
describe and explain patterns fo behaviour
explain diversity among groups
cultural and generational differences reflect diff expecations
what are ‘off time’ events?
out of phase wiht peers; events happen earlier or later than expected
What are ‘on time’ events?
following social timetable
What is the early adulthood crisis for Erikson?
intimacy v isolation
- need to establish close, committed relationships
What is precursor to intimacy for Erikson?
identity
What explains differences in achievement of intimacy?
neurological and brain structural differences
What does avoidance of intimacy lead to?
isolation and self-absorption
What was Vaillant’s study?
homogenous sample, 204 white males, Harvard
What were Vaillant’s three conclusions about adult development?
development is lifelong
sustained relationships shape lives
adaptive mechanisms determine mental health
What was Levinson’s study?
40 males, 35-45 years, four occupational subgroups,
interviews, tests, follow up interviews after two years
What did Levinson’s study identify?
3 eras of male early adult life:
novice phase [era 1]
culimating phase [eras 2 and 3]
What is novice phase of Levinson’s study?
- forming a dream of adult accomplishment and giving it a place in life structure
- forming mentor relationships
- developing occupation
- establishing intimate relationships
What is critique of Levinson’s ‘lack of dream’ finding for women?
gender bias - assumed that family life wasn’t a dream for women, rather an ends to a mean
what are differences between women and men in early adult development?
Women have multiple dreams [work, family life, relationship]
Men have primary dream [work]
Women have less adult mentors
Women don’t have ‘special man’ who helps them with their dream; men to have ‘special woman’ who helps with theirs.
What are gender differentiated personalities
core self-structures that internalise some of shared meanings of gender taught by culture
women typically are more relational
men typically are more autonomous
What is kinkeeping?
developing and maintaining relationships
What are Sternberg’s three components of love?
passion, intimacy, decision/commitment
[together: consummate love]
What is passion alone [Sternberg]
infatuation
What is passion plus intimacy? [Sternberg]
romantic love
What is intimacy alone [Sternberg]
liking
What is decision/commitment alone? [Sternberg]
empty love
What is passion + commitment [Sternberg]
fatuous love
What is intimacy + commitment [Sternberg]
companionate love
What are three marriage styles?
equal partner
conventional
junior partner [most common] - woman brings in some income, male helps out at home
What factors are important in marital satisfaction?
equal partnerships and shared roles
communicaiton and negotiation
How does well-being relate ot marriage?
Married people - higher well being, sense of financial security than singles;
higher than cohabitation
What do self-descriptors of marriage say about likelihood of marriage continuing?
Those who focused on rewards were more likely to still be in happy marriage
those who focused on barriers to leaving the marriage, were less likely to be married 14 years later
What are factors in marital success / failure?
happiness with relationship sensitivity with each other validation of feelings communication conflict management skills
What are impacts of divorce?
tends to reduce long term wellbeing [esp for men’s health]
disruption of parent-child relationships
discord
economic hardship [inc of women in poverty]
What are differences btwn gay relationships and heterosexual relationships?
more likely to negotiate household chores
resolve conflicts in more positive atmosphere
less stable due to lack of institutional support
Describe marital satisfaction in new families
typically declines after birth of first child
least satisfied before birth => later decline
babies do not create stress, but do not bring couples together
husband’s participation improves satisfaction for both parents
Do adults or children have more difficulty adapting to blended / step families?
Adults
