PSY 220 - Lifespan Development: Chapters 7 & 8

Early adulthood

• The age period that spans from approximately 18 (the end of adolescence) until 45 (beginning of middle adulthood)

• Divided into two separate stages: Emerging adulthood (ages 18-29) and established adulthood (ages 30-45)

Emerging adulthood

• The period between the late teens and late twenties

• Ages 18-29

• Individuals in this age period have left behind the relative dependency of childhood and adolescence but have not yet taken on the responsibilities of adulthood

• Five characteristics: Age of identity exploration, age of instability, age of self-focus, age of feeling in between, age of possibilities

Established adulthood

• Individuals between the ages of 30 and 45

• Differ from emerging adults in a variety of ways, but especially in the areas of career development, establishment of intimate relationships, and child rearing

Overall physical growth in emerging and established adulthood

• By the time we reach early adulthood, our physical maturation is complete (height and weight may increase slightly)

• Those in their early twenties are probably at the peak of their physiological development

• The reproductive system, motor skills, strength, and lung capacity are all operating at their best

• Around the age of 30, many changes begin to occur in different parts of the body

• At the end of adulthood, the skin becomes drier, wrinkles start to appear, there is a decline in response time and the ability to recover quickly from physical exertion, the immune system becomes less adept at fighting off illness, and reproductive capacity starts to decline

Binge alcohol use

Drinking five or more drinks for males or four or more drinks for females on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days

Heavy alcohol use

• Binge drinking on the same occasion on 5 or more days in the past 30 days

• Individuals are also binge alcohol users

Gender

The cultural, social, and psychological meanings associated with masculinity and femininity

Gender identity

A person’s sense of self as a member of a particular gender

Social construct

Something that does not exist naturally, but is instead a concept that is created by cultural and societal norms

Gender roles

The societal expectations associated with being male or female

Gender binary

Categorizing humans as only female and male

Two-spirit

A modern umbrella term used by some indigenous North Americans to describe gender-variant individuals in their communities

Minority stress model

The model, which states that an unaccepting social environment results in both external and internal stress, which contributes to poorer mental health

Human sexuality

People’s sexual interest in and attraction to others, as well as their capacity to have erotic experiences and responses

Libido

• A person’s overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity

• Also known as sexual motivation

Sexual response cycle

• A model that describes the physiological responses that take place during sexual activity

• Consists of four phases: Excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution

Excitement phase

The phase in which the intrinsic (inner) motivation to pursue sex arises

Plateau phase

The period of sexual excitement with increased heart rate and circulation that sets the stage for orgasm

Orgasm

The release of tension

Resolution period

The unaroused state before the cycle begins again

Hypothalamus

• The small area at the base of the brain consisting of several groups of nerve-cell bodies that receives input from the limbic system

• The most important part of the brain for sexual functioning

Oxytocin

• The hormone of love

• Released during sexual intercourse when an orgasm is achieved

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

• The hormone that is responsible for ovulation in females by triggering egg maturity

• Stimulates sperm production in males

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

The hormone that triggers the release of a mature egg in females during the process of ovulation

Vasopressin

The hormone that is involved in the male arousal phase

Estrogen and progesterone

• Hormones that typically regulate motivation to engage in sexual behavior for females

• Estrogen increases motivation and progesterone decreases it

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

• Illnesses that have a significant probability of transmission by means of sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, anal sex, and oral sex

• Also referred to as sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or venereal diseases (VDs)

Sexual orientation

A person’s emotional and sexual attraction to a particular gender

Heterosexuality

• Attraction to individuals of the opposite sex/gender

• Often referred to as being straight

Homosexuality

• Attraction to individuals of one’s own sex/gender

• Being gay or lesbian

Bisexuality

• A term used to refer to attraction to individuals of either male or female sex

• Has recently been used in nonbinary models of sex and gender to refer to attraction or gender

Pansexuality

Attraction to all sexes/genders

Polysexuality

Attraction to multiple sexes/genders

Asexuality

Having no sexual attraction to any sex/gender

Fraternal birth order effect

Indicates that the probability of a boy identifying as gay increases for each older brother born to the same mother

Heteronormative

Society supports heterosexuality as the norm

Homophobia

Encompasses a range of negative attitudes and feelings toward homosexuality or people who are identified or perceived as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT)

Institutionalized homophobia

Religious and state-sponsored homophobia

Internalized homophobia

People with same-sex attractions internalize, or believe, society’s negative views and/or hatred of themselves

Postformal thought

• An advanced type of thinking where adults learn to base decisions on what is realistic and practical, not idealistic, and can make adaptive choices

• Adults are also not as influenced by what others think

Dichotomies

Ideas are true or false; good or bad; and there is no middle ground

Dialectical thought

• The ability to bring together salient aspects of two opposing viewpoints or positions

• Considered one of the most advanced aspects of postformal thinking

Stages of career development

• Stage One: As children, we may select careers based on what appears glamorous or exciting to us (little regard in this stage for whether we are suited for our occupational choices)

• Stage Two: Teens include their abilities and limitations in addition to the glamour of the occupation when narrowing their choices

• Stage Three: Older teens and emerging adults narrow their choices further and begin to weigh more objectively the requirements, rewards, and downsides to careers, along with comparing possible careers with their own interests, values, and future goals

• Stage Four: By our mid to late thirties, many adults settle in their careers (sense of continuity and forward motion in their career)

NEETs

People who are neither employed nor in education or training

Sexism

• Prejudice or discrimination based on a person’s sex or gender

• Also known as gender discrimination

Occupational sexism

Sexism that involves discriminatory practices, statements, or actions, based on a person’s sex, that occur in the workplace

Sticky floors

Keep low-wage workers, who are more likely to be women and minorities, from being promoted

Glass ceiling

The invisible barrier that keeps women and minorities from rising to higher positions regardless of their qualifications

Glass cliff

Women and minorities being placed in leadership positions when the risk of failure is high

Broken rung

Inequities in the promotion process, especially from entry level to manager

Temperament

The innate characteristics of the infant, including mood, activity level, and emotional reactivity, soon after birth

Epigenesis

Environmental factors are thought to change gene expression by switching genes on and off

Personality

A person’s characteristic manner of thinking, feeling, behaving, and relating to others

Five-factor model of personality

• The model that includes five broad domains: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism

• Applies to traits that you may use to describe yourself

Openness to experience

• A general appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination, curiosity, and variety of experience

• Examples of behaviors predicted by the trait: Individuals who are highly open to experience tend to have distinctive and unconventional decorations in their home. They are also likely to have books on a wide variety of topics, a diverse music collection, and works of art on display.

Conscientiousness

• A tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement

• Examples of behaviors predicted by the trait: Individuals who are conscientious have a preference for planned rather than spontaneous behavior.

Extraversion

• The tendency to experience positive emotions and to seek out stimulation and the company of others

• Examples of behaviors predicted by the trait: Extroverts enjoy being with people. In groups, they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves.

Agreeableness

• A tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic toward others; reflects individual differences in general concern for social harmony

• Examples of behaviors predicted by the trait: Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are generally considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with those of others.

Neuroticism

• The tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anger, anxiety, or depression; sometimes called “emotional instability”

• Examples of behaviors predicted by the trait: Those who score high in neuroticism are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. They may have trouble thinking clearly, making decisions, and coping effectively with stress.

Attachment-related anxiety

The extent to which an adult worries about whether their partner really loves them

Attachment-related avoidance

Whether an adult can open up to others, and whether they trust and feel they can depend on others

Intimacy vs. isolation

Erikson’s sixth stage, which focuses on establishing intimate relationships or risking social isolation

Attraction

• What makes people like, and even love, each other

• Influencing factors: Proximity, physical attractiveness, similarity, self-disclosure

Proximity

The extent to which people are physically near us

Mere exposure

The tendency to prefer stimuli (including, but not limited to people) that we have seen more frequently

Matching hypothesis

The practice that people tend to form relationships with individuals who have a similar level of social value, often with an emphasis on equality in physical attractiveness

Consensual validation

Having others like and believe in the same things we do makes us feel validated in our beliefs

Self-disclosure

The tendency to communicate frequently, without fear of reprisal, and in an accepting and empathetic manner

Passion

The intense, physical attraction partners feel toward one another

Intimacy

The ability the share feelings, psychological closeness, and personal thoughts with the other

Commitment

The conscious decision to stay together

Types of love

• Liking

• Infatuation

• Fatuous love

• Empty love

• Romantic love

• Companionate love

• Consummate love

• Hooking up

• Friends with benefits

Hookups

Uncommitted sexual encounters that can range from kissing to sexual intercourse

Friends with benefits (FWB)

• Relationships that involve friends having casual sex without commitment

• Also called “Booty Calls”

Catfishing

A deceptive activity involving the creation of a fake online profile for deceptive purposes

Marriage rate

The ratio between the number of marriages in the year and the total average population of that year

Endogamy

Rules indicate the groups we should marry within and those we should not marry in

Homogamy

Marriage between people who share social characteristics

Situational couple violence

The violence that results when heated conflict escalates

Intimate terrorism

One partner consistently uses fear and violence to dominate the other

No-fault divorces

Divorces where neither spouse is blamed

Factors that influence parenting

• Parent characteristics

• Child characteristics

• Contextual and sociocultural characteristics

Bidirectional

Not only do parents affect their children, but children influence their parents

Impact of COVID-19 on emerging and established adults

• While most people who are infected with COVID-19 completely recover within a couple of weeks, some individuals called “COVID long-haulers” experience lingering symptoms even after the acute symptoms of the infection have disappeared

  • Common long-term symptoms: Neurological symptoms, psychological symptoms, lung and heart problems