Markers of Becoming an Adult Most widely recognized marker holding permanent full time job z Economic independence is often a long process z Taking responsibility for oneself z Other markers include accepting responsibility for the consequences of one s actions z deciding on one s own beliefs and values z establishing a relationship with parents as an equal adult z Arnett 1995 3 20 2008 1 Stress big on college campuses Published Wednesday March 19 2008 By ALAN FRAM and TREVOR TOMPSON Associated Press WASHINGTON College kids are so frazzled they can t sleep or eat Or study Good grief they re even anxious about spring break Most students in U S colleges are just plain stressed out from everyday worries about grades and relationships to darker thoughts of suicide according to a poll of undergraduates from coast to coast The survey was conducted for The Associated Press and mtvU a television network available at many colleges and universities Four in 10 students say they endure stress often Nearly one if five say they feel it all or most of the time 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 2 1 Achieving the Transition z Three types of assets were especially important to well being during this transition intellectual academic success ability to plan and good decision making skills psychological mental health mastery motivation confidence in one s competence identity values and community contributions social connectedness to others through friendship and positive peer relations Eccles Goodman 2002 3 20 2008 3 From High School to College Replays the top dog phenomenon of transferring from the oldest most powerful group of students to the youngest least powerful z It involves movement to a larger more impersonal school structure z Usually includes interaction with peers from much more diverse geographical and ethnic backgrounds z Has an increased focus on achievement z 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 4 2 College Issues Today s college students experience more stress and are more depressed than in the past z The pressure to succeed in college get a great job and make money are pervasive concerns z Most college campuses have a counseling center to help students learn effective ways to cope with stress z Pryor others 2006 5 3 20 2008 Cognition in Young Adulthood z Piaget concluded adolescents and adults think qualitatively in the same way formal operational thought is the final stage in cognitive development characterizes adults as well as adolescents Piaget and information processing psychologists support the idea that adults increase their knowledge in a specific area z But many adults do not think in formal operational ways at all z Keating 2004 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 6 3 Realistic and Pragmatic Thinking As young adults face the constraints of reality which work promotes their idealism decreases z Schaie proposed that in early adulthood individuals often switch from acquiring knowledge to applying knowledge as they pursue success in their work z Labouvie Vief 1986 Schaie 1977 3 20 2008 7 Reflective and Relativistic Thinking Another view Perry s is that absolutist dualistic thinking of adolescence gives way to the reflective relativistic thinking of adulthood z Others believe that reflective thinking is an important indicator of cognitive change z Increasing complexity of cultures has generated a need for more reflective complex thinking that accounts for the changing nature of knowledge z Perry 1970 Fischer Bidell 2006 Labouvie Vief 2006 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 8 4 Postformal Thought The search for truth is often an ongoing never ending process z Postformal thought understanding that the correct answer to a problem requires reflective thinking and can vary situationally z includes the belief that solutions to problems need to be realistic and that emotion and subjective factors can influence thinking Sinnott 2003 3 20 2008 9 Creativity Early adulthood is a time of great creativity for some people z Although a decline in creativity is often found in the fifties and later the decline is not as great as commonly thought z There is extensive individual variation in the lifetime output of creative individuals z 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 10 5 Stimulating Adults Creativity z Steps toward a more creative life include cultivating your curiosity and interest Try to be surprised by something every day Try to surprise at least one person every day Each day write what surprised you and how you surprised others keep a journal When something sparks your interest follow it Wake up in the morning with a specific goal Spend time in settings that stimulate your creativity Csikszentmihalyi 1995 11 3 20 2008 Career and Work z Important themes of early adulthood earning a living choosing an occupation establishing a career and developing in a career by mid twenties many individuals have completed their education or training and started to enter a full time occupation through the remainder of early adulthood individuals often seek to establish their emerging career in a particular field and improve their financial standing 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 12 6 Personality z Personality type theory it is important to match an individual s personality with a particular career Holland believes that when individuals find careers that fit their personality they are more likely to enjoy the work and stay in the job longer Proposed six basic careerrelated personality types z realistic investigative artistic social enterprising and conventional Holland 1987 3 20 2008 13 3 20 2008 14 Developmental Psychology 7 Unemployment Unemployment produces stress regardless of whether the job loss is temporary cyclical or permanent z Stress comes not only from a loss of income and the resulting financial hardships but also from decreased selfesteem z Christensen others 2006 Voydanoff 1990 3 20 2008 Developmental Psychology 15 8
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