Human Development: Adolescence, Early Adulthood, and Middle Adulthood

Comprehensive review flashcards covering physical, cognitive, and social development across adolescence, early adulthood, and middle adulthood.

Middle adulthood spans the chronological ages of __________.

40 to 65

Middle adulthood is marked by narrowing life options and a shrinking future as children leave home and __________ paths become more determined.

career

Middle age is difficult to define precisely due to wide variations in attitudes and __________.

behaviors

In middle adulthood, adults experience a major shift in time orientation from "years since birth" to "__________."

years left to live

Prominent physical and cognitive concerns in middle adulthood include getting a fatal disease, being too ill to maintain independence, and losing __________.

mental capacities

By the 40s, difficulty reading small print is common due to thickening of the lens and weakening of the muscle that enables the eye to __________.

accommodate

Accommodation in the visual system refers to the eye's ability to adjust its focus to __________ objects.

nearby

By age 50, the accommodative ability of the eye's lens is __________ of what it was at age 20.

$$\frac{1}{6}$$

Around age 60, the lens loses its capacity to adjust to objects at varying distances entirely, a condition known as __________.

presbyopia

The term presbyopia literally means "__________."

old eyes

Between the ages of 40 and 60, the human eye rapidly becomes more __________.

farsighted

Approximately __________ of Americans between ages 45 and 64 suffer from hearing loss.

14%

Age-related hearing loss that develops in middle adulthood is medically termed __________.

presbycusis

The literal meaning of the condition presbycusis is "__________."

old hearing

Around age 50, the first noticeable sign of presbycusis is a decline in sensitivity to __________ sounds.

high-frequency

Men's hearing declines earlier and faster than women's, often linked to smoking, strokes, high blood pressure, and intense noise and __________ in male-dominated jobs.

chemical pollutants

In the 30s, lines first develop on the forehead as a result of smiling, furrowing the brow, and other __________.

facial expressions

During the 40s, facial expression lines become more pronounced and "__________" appear around the eyes.

crow's-feet

After age 50, collections of pigment under the skin known as "__________" increase.

age spots

Blood vessels in the skin become more visible after age 50 because the skin's __________ layer thins.

fatty

Women's skin ages more rapidly than men's partly because their __________ is not as thick.

dermis

The common pattern of weight gain that affects both men and women in middle adulthood is called "__________."

middle-age spread

Middle-age spread involves a rise in body fat alongside a loss of lean body mass, which is made up of __________ and bone.

muscle

Sex differences in midlife fat distribution show that men accumulate more fat on the back and __________.

upper abdomen

In middle adulthood, women tend to accumulate fat primarily around the waist and __________.

upper arms

Gradual loss of bone density begins around age 40 and accelerates during the __________.

50s

Bone density loss is particularly severe in women, who lose approximately __________ of their bone density compared to 8-12% in men.

20-30%

During middle adulthood, men typically experience a bone density loss of __________.

8-12%

Following menopause, bone loss in women accelerates because the positive impact of __________ on bone mineral absorption is lost.

estrogen

Because disks in the spinal column collapse from bone strength loss, adult height may drop by as much as 1 inch by age __________.

60

An individual exhibiting extreme competitiveness, ambition, impatience, hostility, and angry outbursts has a __________ personality.

Type A

People who exhibit a more relaxed disposition are classified as having a __________ personality.

Type B

Research indicates that Type A individuals are more than __________ as likely as Type B individuals to develop heart disease.

twice

Negative stereotypes of aging are disproportionately applied to women compared to men, creating an aging __________.

double standard

Early adulthood spans the chronological ages of __________.

18 to 40

Tasks of early adulthood include leaving home, completing education, and beginning __________ work.

full-time

In early adulthood, attaining economic independence and forming an intimate relationship often culminate in starting a __________.

family

Psychological stress can be measured in terms of adverse conditions, traumatic experiences, negative life events, or __________.

daily hassles

In early adulthood, as socioeconomic status (SES) decreases, exposure to diverse stressors __________.

rises

A particularly high incidence of heart disease is observed in low-income groups, especially among __________.

African Americans

Young adults report experiencing more __________ feelings than middle-aged adults due to the many challenging tasks of this period.

depressive

A critical health intervention for psychological stress in early adulthood is establishing and maintaining satisfying, caring __________.

social ties

College functions as a "__________ testing ground," allowing students to explore alternative values, roles, and behaviors.

developmental

College exposes students to "culture shock" through encounters with new ideas, new freedoms, and new __________ demands.

academic and social

Over __________ of high school graduates in the United States attend an institution of higher education.

70%

As a cognitive benefit of college, students improve at reasoning about problems that lack __________ solutions.

clear

Through college, students become better at identifying the strengths and weaknesses of opposing sides of __________ issues.

complex

Attending college improves metacognitive skills by encouraging students to reflect on the quality of their __________.

thinking

College fosters broader values, enhanced self-esteem, and greater tolerance for __________ diversity.

racial/ethnic

In the 1970s, the U.S. ranked first in the world in young adults with college degrees; today, it ranks __________.

16th

A major systemic contributor to lower U.S. college completion is the high rate of U.S. __________ poverty.

child

College dropout rates in the U.S. are influenced by poor-quality elementary and secondary schools in __________ neighborhoods.

low-income

Approximately __________ of U.S. students enrolled at 2-year institutions drop out.

44%

Approximately __________ of U.S. students enrolled at 4-year institutions drop out.

32%

Most college dropouts leave within their first year, and many leave within the first __________ weeks.

six

Freshmen often struggle with college transition due to lack of motivation, financial pressures, emotional dependence on parents, and poor __________.

study skills

A major institutional failure regarding college retention is that colleges do little to help __________ students.

high-risk

Struggling college freshmen frequently worsen their risk of dropping out by failing to meet with their __________ or professors.

advisors

College retention rates rise when institutions implement programs that forge strong bonds between students and __________.

teachers

Student services increase retention by funding academic support and counseling that addresses both personal and __________ challenges.

academic

When making vocational choices, individuals are typically drawn to careers that complement their __________.

personalities

A young person's vocational aspirations correlate strongly with their __________' jobs.

parents

Compared to peers, college-bound high school students tend to form closer relationships with their __________.

teachers

Shifts in gender stereotypes have led young women to show increasing interest in careers historically held by __________.

men

College is widely regarded as __________, making it more influential than any other single period of adulthood.

formative

College participation actively promotes self-reflection by encouraging students to look more closely at __________.

oneself

High psychological stress in early adulthood is linked to health conditions including hypertension, diabetes, cardiac problems, cancer, and __________ problems.

gastrointestinal

Adolescence is defined as the developmental transition between __________ and adulthood.

childhood

Puberty is characterized by biological events leading to an adult-sized body and __________ maturity.

sexual

Early adolescence spans the chronological ages of 11-12 to __________.

14

The sub-phase of adolescence marked by rapid pubertal change is __________ adolescence.

early

Middle adolescence covers the age range from __________ to 16.

14

By the stage of middle adolescence, pubertal changes are considered nearly __________.

complete

Late adolescence covers the age range from __________ to 18.

16

During late adolescence, a young person achieves full adult appearance and anticipates assuming __________ roles.

adult

Early maturing __________ girls report a less positive body image compared to their later-maturing peers.

Caucasian

Early and rapidly maturing __________ tend to be more satisfied with their physical characteristics.

boys

During the adolescent years, a young person's body image serves as a powerful predictor of their __________.

self-esteem

Early maturing girls and late maturing boys have difficulty fitting in because they fall at the __________ of physical development.

extremes

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where young people starve themselves due to a compulsive fear of __________.

getting fat

The rising prevalence of anorexia nervosa is heavily influenced by cultural admiration of female __________.

thinness

Asian American, Caucasian American, and Hispanic girls face higher risks of anorexia nervosa than __________ girls.

African American

Individuals with anorexia nervosa experience a severely distorted __________ image.

body

To maximize weight loss, people diagnosed with anorexia nervosa frequently exercise __________.

vigorously

An eating disorder characterized by strict dieting and binge eating followed by vomiting and laxative abuse is __________.

bulimia nervosa

Bulimia nervosa typically emerges during __________ adolescence.

late

Between the two major eating disorders, the more common condition among adolescents is __________.

bulimia nervosa

Most adolescents with bulimia are impulsive and sensation-seeking, sometimes engaging in risky behaviors such as __________.

shoplifting

Adolescents with bulimia nervosa frequently feel depressed and guilty, and may perceive their parents as emotionally unavailable and __________.

disengaged

Parents often avoid discussing sex with adolescents out of fear of __________ or concern that they will not be taken seriously.

embarrassment

Adolescents who do not receive sexual education from parents typically rely on peers, books, magazines, TV, movies, and the __________.

Internet

Adolescents predisposed to early sexual initiation tend to consume higher amounts of __________ media.

sexualized

Nearly __________ of all adolescents have engaged in sexual intercourse.

half

Youth in the United States become sexually active earlier than their Canadian and __________ peers.

European

By high school graduation, most sexually active adolescents have had only __________ sexual partners.

one or two

Sexually active adolescents often demonstrate a history of childhood impulsivity and a weak sense of __________ control over life events.

personal

Family factors linked to adolescent sexual activity include single-parent homes, stepfamilies, large family size, and parental __________.

divorce

Adolescents who engage in sexual intercourse early are more likely to have sexually active friends and older __________.

siblings

Sexually active teenagers often experience disrupted parent-child communication, weak parental monitoring, and poor __________ performance.

school

Adolescents who are sexually active exhibit a higher tendency toward norm-violating behaviors, including drug use and __________.

delinquency