Developmental Psychology - Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood

The transition from Adolescent to

Adulthood 

→ 

Emerging adulthood is a time of increasing

anxiety, depression, and problems, as well as

considerable worry about one's future. 

➢ 

BECOMING AND ADULT  

➢ 

As with any period of development, there are

clusters of emerging adults who are engaging in

health-enhancing behaviors while others are

engaging in health-damaging behaviors. 

➢ 

The transition from adolescence to adulthood has

been referred to as emerging adulthood, which

occurs from approximately 18 to 25 years of age. 

➢ 

An important aspect of emerging adulthood is the

resilience that some individuals have shown in

moving their life in a positive direction following a

troubled adolescence. 

➢ 

In their development, many individuals are still

exploring which career path they want to follow,

what they want their identity to be, and which

lifestyle they want to adopt. 

➢ 

 Identity Exploration

[l] 

. Especially in love and work. 

Emphasized in resilient adaptation during emerging

adulthood was the importance of forming positive

close relationships-to some degree with parents,

but more often with supportive romantic partners,

close friends, and mentors. 

Five key features characterize emerging adulthood

(Jeffrey Arnett, 2006): 

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF EMERGING AND EARLY

ADULTHOOD. 

Emerging adulthood is a time during which key

changes in identity take place for many

individuals. 

Earlier generations, individuals in their mid­ 

 Instability

[2] 

. Residential changes peak during 

twenties at the latest were expected to have finished

college, obtained a full-time job, and established their

own household, most often with a spouse and a child. 

early adulthood, a time during which instability

also is common in love, work, and education. 

→ 

 Self-Focused

Current generation, individuals are now taking

much longer to reach these developmental

milestones, many of which they are not

experiencing until their late twenties or even

thirties. 

[3] 

.Emerging adults "are self-focused 

in the sense that they have little in the way of

social obligations, little in the way of duties and

commitments to others, which leaves them

with a great deal of autonomy in running their 

In Terms of Living with Parents.

In 1880, living with a 

own lives." 

 Feeling In-Between

[ 4) 

. Many emerging adults don't 

romantic partner, whether a spouse or a significant

other, was previously the most common living

arrangement for emerging and young adults. 

consider themselves adolescents or full-fledged

adults 

→ 

 The Age of Possibilities

In 2014, living with parents was the most

frequent living arrangement for 18- to 34-year­

olds. 

[5] 

.A time when individuals 

In Terms of Education

. Today's emerging and young 

have an opportunity to transform their lives.

Arnett (2006) describes two ways in which

emerging adulthood is the age of possibilities: 

→ 

adults are better educated than their counterparts in

the 1970s, the biggest reason for this increased

educational attainment is a gender difference reversal. 

Many emerging adults are optimistic about

their future. 

→ 

→ 

In 1975, more young men had college degrees,

but today there are more young women than

young men who have a college degree. 

In Terms of Work.

Today, more young adults are working 

For emerging adults who have experienced

difficult times while growing up, emerging

adulthood presents an opportunity to chart

their life course in a more positive

direction. 

➢

→ 

than in 1975, the main reason for this increase also

involves a gender change-the significant rise of young

women in the workforce. 

Two-sided coin of emerging adulthood:

Emerging adults have a higher level of well­

being than adolescents. 

→ 

In 1975, almost all of the women who were not

in the workforce were taking care of their home

and family. However, in 2016, less than 50