FAD3220 Chapter 13 Physical and Cognitive Development in Emerging and Young Adulthood Class Notes Adulthood What are the markers for adulthood o Sexual maturity o Legal adulthood is recognized by different privileges at different ages buy tobacco and alcohol vote marry enter into contracts etc o Psychological maturity Emerging Adulthood Age of late teens to mid to late twenties Three Criteria o Accepting responsibility for oneself o Making independent decisions o Becoming financially independent Physical Development Health o Most say they are in good health o Accidents are leading cause of death o Overweight and too little exercise o Highest poverty rate and lowest level of health insurance of any age group Behavior and health Cholesterol fat and heart disease Cancer o Soy based food for women linked to decreases in breast cancer o Fish form men linked to decreases in colorectal cancer Obesity linked to lifestyle behaviors rather than knowledge Other Health Issues Exercise Alcohol use Sleep 7 8 hours Smoking this age group most likely to smoke than any other o Peaks during emerging adulthood o Binge drinking drinking and driving risky behavior than can lead to HIV infection and drug use Relationships and Health Social relationships are vital to health and well being o Social integration active engagement in a broad range of social relationships activities and roles Social Support material informational and psychological resources derived from the social network which a person can rely on for help and coping with stress Marriage and Health Marriage has health benefits especially for men Married people especially in young adulthood tend to be healthier than those who are single divorced never married widowed etc Married people especially husbands are more likely to be obese Mental Health Some mental health disorders have a genetic component which is signaled to occur in early adulthood Stressors of being out on one s own and making own decisions can influence mental health problems o Alcoholism drug use and abuse o Depression Sexual Behavior and Attitudes Less adults are waiting to have sex until marriage 75 have had sex by age 20 Compared to older age groups emerging adults o Tend to have more sexual partners o Have sex less frequently o Have more casual sex Cognitive Development Reflective thinking logical thinking involving continuous active evaluation of information and beliefs in light of evidence and implications thinking about your life through reflection on past and current and future goals o Emerges between 20 and 25 o Not all adults reach the skill to apply this thinking to all types of problems but most adults develop the capacity for it Post formal thought mature thinking that relies on subjective experience intuition and logic Useful in dealing w ambiguity uncertainty inconsistency contradiction imperfection and compromise o Sees shades of grey vs black and white o Useful when emotions are involved o It s best to just sleep on it Emotional intelligence The ability to perceive use understand and regulate emotions An important component of effective intelligent behavior Measure by use of the test MSCEIT Mayer Salovey Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test Moral Reasoning Women think less about abstract justice and fairness than men do and more about their responsibilities to specific people C Gilligan Other researchers found no gender differences Young adults able to live w moral contradictions Book notes Reflect all bolded important information not presented in lecture Health Risky drinking consuming more than 14 drinks a week or 4 drinks on any single day for men and more than 7 drinks a week or 3 drinks on a single day for women o Those who practice frequent risky drinking are at risk for alcoholism and liver disease as well as physical mental and social problems Income education race ethnicity also affect health Alcoholism chronic disease involving dependence on use of alcohol causing interference w normal functioning and fulfillment of obligations Highest risk of STIs are among 18 to 25 years old Sexual and Reproductive Issues Premenstrual syndrome PMS Disorder that produces physical discomfort and emotional tension for up to 2 weeks before period Symptoms may include fatigue headaches swelling tenderness or breasts bloating nausea cramps constipation food cravings weight gain anxiety depression mood swings tearfulness and difficulty concentrating or remembering o Many people 85 have symptoms but only 5 10 are actually diagnosable over 30 o Cramping is not the same as PMS PMS usually only occurs in women Dysmenorrhea painful cramps caused by contractions in the uterus and can be treated w ibuprofen and affects 90 of women Infertility occurs in 7 of couples It is the inability to conceive after 1 year of trying o Most common cause in men is low sperm count o Most common cause in women is failure to produce ova mucus in cervix and disease of uterine lining College During college years most go from rigidity to flexibility and overall freely chosen commitments Instead of seeing truth w one right answer they are able to accept a wide range of ideas and viewpoints Commitment within relativism is achieved when they can make their own judgments and choose their own beliefs and values despite uncertainty and recognition of other valid possibilities College entrance is increasing but finishing has not 1 4 finish college in 5 years Substantive complexity degree to which a person s work requires thought and independent judgment o Challenge of this type of work helps person s flexibility in coping w cognitive demands Spillover hypothesis hypothesis that there is a carryover of cognitive gains from work to leisure that explains the positive relationship between activities in the quality of intellectual functioning
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