Adult Development: Physical, Cognitive, and Social Changes

Early adulthood

Period when physical maturation is largely complete

Senescence

Natural physical decline associated with aging

Prefrontal cortex development

Continues into mid-20s; affects decision making

Secondary aging

Physical decline caused by environmental factors or behavior

Peak physical condition

Early adulthood, if exercise and diet are maintained

Benefits of exercise

Improved cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, immune function, reduced stress, longer life

Obesity

BMI at or above the 95th percentile for adults of same age and sex

ADA (1990)

Law mandating accessibility for people with disabilities

Stress

Physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to challenges

Stressors

Events or circumstances that cause stress

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)

Study of relationships between brain, immune system, and psychological factors

Acute stressors

Short-term, sudden stress events

Chronic stressors

Long-lasting, ongoing stress events

Primary appraisal

Determining whether an event is threatening

Secondary appraisal

Evaluating coping resources

Problem-focused coping

Changing the stressful situation

Emotion-focused coping

Managing emotional response to stress

Resilience

Ability to adapt and thrive after adversity

Postformal thought

Adult thinking that is flexible, practical, and relativistic

Perry's theory

Development from dualistic to relativistic thinking

Dualistic thinking

Belief that issues are right or wrong

Relativistic thinking

Recognition of multiple perspectives

Schaie's stages

Development based on how intelligence is used across adulthood

Practical intelligence

Knowledge gained from real-life experience

Emotional intelligence

Ability to understand and manage emotions

First-year adjustment reaction

Anxiety, loneliness, and stress in first-year college students

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Erikson's stage focused on forming close relationships

Intimacy

Capacity for closeness, commitment, and selflessness

Emerging adulthood

Late teens through mid-20s transitional stage

Five features of emerging adulthood

Identity exploration, instability, self-focus, feeling in-between, optimism

Proximity

Physical closeness increases likelihood of friendship

Similarity

People prefer friends with shared values and attitudes

Companionate love

Deep affection and commitment

Passionate love

Intense emotional and physical attraction

Labeling theory of love

Passion arises from arousal + cognitive label

Sternberg's Triangular Theory

Intimacy, passion, commitment

Homogamy

Tendency to marry similar individuals

Marriage gradient

Men marry younger/lower-status women; women marry older/higher-status men

Cohabitation

Living together without marriage

Coparenting

Parents working together with shared child-rearing goals

Career consolidation

Stage when young adults focus on careers (20-40)

Ginzberg's career stages

Fantasy → Tentative → Realistic

Holland's personality types (RIASEC)

Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, Conventional

Glass ceiling

Invisible barrier limiting women's advancement

Intrinsic motivation

Working for enjoyment and fulfillment

Extrinsic motivation

Working for external rewards

Middle adulthood

Period marked by gradual physical change and stability

Osteoporosis

Bone thinning, more common in women

Presbyopia

Loss of near vision around age 40

Presbycusis

Age-related hearing loss

Metabolism

Remains stable from ages 20-60

Reaction time

Slows slightly but usually compensated by experience

Menopause

Cessation of menstruation after 12 months

Perimenopause

Hormonal transition period before menopause

Hormone therapy (HT)

Estrogen/progesterone treatment with risks and benefits

Male climacteric

Gradual testosterone decline in men

Type A personality

Competitive, impatient, hostile

Type B personality

Relaxed, patient, noncompetitive

Type D personality

Distressed, anxious, pessimistic

Fluid intelligence

Processing speed and reasoning; declines with age

Crystallized intelligence

Knowledge and skills; stable or increases

Selective optimization with compensation

Focusing on strengths to offset declines

Schemas

Organized patterns of information in memory

Mnemonics

Memory aids that improve recall

Normative-crisis theories

Development based on age-related stages

Life-events theories

Development shaped by timing of life events

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Erikson's stage focused on contributing to society

Midlife crisis

Period of questioning; not common

Big Five personality traits

Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness, Extraversion

Empty nest syndrome

Temporary sadness after children leave home

Boomerang children

Adult children returning to live with parents

Sandwich generation

Caring for children and aging parents simultaneously

Involved grandparents

Actively engaged with grandchildren

Companionate grandparents

Relaxed, supportive role

Remote grandparents

Distant and uninvolved

Cycle of violence

Tension → abuse → remorse → repetition

Burnout

Emotional exhaustion from chronic job stress

Gray divorce

Divorce among adults aged 50+

Career change in midlife

Increasingly common and often beneficial

Leisure time

Important for balance and well-being