Emerging Adulthood 🌟

Emerging adulthood is a stage of life that spans from approximately 18 to 25 years old. This stage is characterized by a transition from adolescence to adulthood, but it is not universally recognized as a distinct stage of development.

What Makes Someone an Adult?

Being an adult is not solely defined by age. While 18 is often considered the age of majority, there are still many things that individuals in this age group cannot do, such as:

• Renting a car until the age of 25

• Signing certain types of contracts until the age of 21

• Drinking or buying tobacco products until the age of 21

Characteristics of Emerging Adulthood

• Responsibility: Taking care of oneself, paying bills, and being financially independent

• Transitional: A stage of life where individuals are no longer adolescents but not yet fully adults

• Not universal: Emerging adulthood is more common in Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and democratic (WEIRD) countries

Physical Health in Emerging Adulthood

The Importance of Good Health Habits

• Exercise: Reduces blood pressure, strengthens the heart and lungs, reduces depression, and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, dementia, and some cancers

• Sleep: 8-9 hours per night is recommended, with some individuals requiring up to 10 hours

• Good health habits: Decrease allostatic load by reducing health risks

Sex and Relationships in Emerging Adulthood

• Sex drive: Powerful and strong during this stage

• Infertility: Rare, but can be caused by untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

• Birth complications: Rare, but can be caused by untreated STIs

• Trends: Later marriages and later parenthood, with most people not getting married until their mid-to-late twenties and not starting to have kids until closer to 30

Risks and Concerns in Emerging Adulthood

• Sexually transmitted infections: High rates of STIs, including HIV and AIDS

• Sexual assault: A significant concern for individuals in this age group

• Sex trafficking: A serious issue that affects individuals in this age group

Birth Rate Trends

Note: The birth rate per 1,000 women under 25 has been declining worldwide since 1970.## Risk Taking and Emerging Adulthood 🤔

Risk taking is a common behavior among emerging adults, characterized by a willingness to take chances and engage in potentially hazardous activities. This behavior can be both positive and negative, depending on the situation.

Factors Influencing Risk Taking

• Maturation: Emerging adults' brains are still developing, particularly the prefrontal cortex, which affects decision-making and impulse control.

• Freedom: Emerging adults often have more freedom to make choices and take risks, as they are less likely to have significant responsibilities.

• Impulsivity: Emerging adults are more likely to act on impulse, which can lead to risky behaviors.

Accidental Injury Rates by Age 📊

Risky Behaviors

• Alcohol abuse: Emerging adults are more likely to engage in binge drinking and drunk driving.

• Drug abuse: Emerging adults are more likely to use illegal drugs, with peak usage around age 20.

• Driving without a seatbelt: Young adult males are more likely to drive without a seatbelt, which can lead to fatal accidents.

Substance Use by Age 📊

Post-Formal Thought 🤓

Post-formal thought is a stage of cognitive development proposed by Jean Piaget, characterized by:

Higher Education and Emerging Adulthood 📚

• Massification: The expansion of higher education after World War II, with the goal of making college accessible to all.

• Benefits of college: College graduates tend to have better health, smoke less, eat better, exercise more, and have longer life expectancies.

• College graduates by country: Countries with the highest percentage of college graduates include Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, and Norway.

The Cost of College 💸

• Funding: The way college is funded has changed over time, with the federal government providing less funding and students taking on more debt.

• Student loans: Students often take on significant debt to finance their education, which can be a burden if they do not consider realistic expected salaries.## 📊 Financial Considerations for College Students

• Many students who attend college do not graduate, and one of the biggest reasons for this is financial difficulties.

• Even if a student stops attending college, they are still required to pay back their student loans. Payments typically begin 6 months after the student stops attending.

📝 Planning for Graduation

• Poor planning, bad advising, and having to retake classes can all lead to delayed graduation.

• It is essential for students to understand the requirements for their degree and to stay on top of their coursework to avoid these issues.

🏫 College Size and Graduation Rates

• Colleges with the lowest graduation rates are often the most popular among students.

• This may be due to factors such as the college's reputation, campus life, and sports teams.

• However, larger colleges can also make it difficult for students to get the classes they need, which can lead to delayed graduation.

🤔 Critical Thinking and Post-Formal Thought

• College used to focus on providing a well-rounded education, but now it is more focused on preparing students for a specific career.

• As a result, students are not developing their critical thinking skills as much as they used to.

• A study found that students' growth in critical thinking and communication over 4 years of college is only about half as much as it was 20 years ago.

📚 Motives for Attending College

• Some students attend college for reasons other than to get an education, such as to play sports or to please their parents.

• These motives can affect a student's learning and overall college experience.

🌎 The Effects of Diversity

• Being around people from different backgrounds and cultures can challenge a person's thinking and help them develop intellectually.

• Individuals who have diverse friend groups are more likely to advance to the stage of post-formal thought.

📊 Identity Development in Emerging Adulthood

• Emerging adulthood is a time of identity exploration and development.

• The four identity statuses are:

  • Achievement

  • Moratorium

  • Foreclosure

  • Diffusion

💼 Career Development in Emerging Adulthood

• Emerging adulthood is a critical stage for acquiring resources and skills and developing work values.

• Many young adults will change their identity status to achievement by age 25, and almost all will have changed their status by age 29.

• Emerging adults are likely to change jobs at least once a year between the ages of 18 and 25.

📊 Personality Development in Emerging Adulthood

• Research has found both genetic continuity and developmental improvements in personality among 17- to 24-year-olds.

• Most emerging adults are still open to new experiences and have rising self-esteem.

• There is a positive trend of more happiness in this age group, which may be due to the fact that they like being able to make their own choices.## Intimacy vs Isolation 🤝

Erickson's 6th developmental crisis, Intimacy vs Isolation, centers on the fact that humans are social creatures, seeking relationships of various types. This stage progresses from attraction to close connection to an ongoing commitment.

Romantic Intimacy

Romantic intimacy at this stage is characterized by:

• Attraction

• Close connection

• Ongoing commitment

Relationships tend to last longer once individuals reach this stage. Marriage and parenthood are traditional ways to achieve intimacy and adulthood, but they are not the only options.

Family Influences

Parents are still critical influences at this age, and all members of the family have linked lives. However, fewer emerging adults (18-21 years old) are completely financially independent due to the increasing time it takes to establish a career.

The Impact of Parental Support

Sometimes, too much parental support can be a negative factor in adulting. This is because:

Cultural Expectations

Cultural expectations play a significant role in determining happiness when living with parents during this stage. For example:

Romantic Relationships

In the US, romantic relationships often prioritize:

• Trust

• Emotional closeness

• Honesty

• Faithfulness

In other cultures, factors like financial stability and family approval may be more important.

Postponing Marriage and Children

Many emerging adults are postponing marriage and children to focus on career and education. This is partly due to the increasing time it takes to establish a career.

Cohabitation

Cohabitation, or living with a romantic partner without being married, is becoming more common. In the US and Europe, the majority of young adults will live together rather than get married before age 25.

The Impact of Cohabitation on Marriage

Living together before marriage does not seem to prevent marital problems. In fact, cohabitation is linked to higher divorce rates when couples do get married. This may be due to the prevalence of churning relationships, where couples repeatedly break up and get back together.

Trends in Cohabitation

The rate of cohabitation in the US has increased significantly over the years:

This shift in cultural attitude is likely tied to the fact that people are waiting longer to get married due to establishing new careers and other factors.