Early Adulthood

Question 1

What is ‘Emerging Adulthood’ and when does it occur?

Answer 1

A time for Exploration, Instability, Self
focus, Liminality, Possibility. (18-29 yrs old)

Question 2

What is ‘Established Adulthood’ and when does it occur?

Answer 2

A time of Career development, intimate
relationships, childrearing (30-45 yrs old)

Question 3

What is the age range for early adulthood?

Answer 3

18-45 yrs old

Question 4

True or False?
“Mental health disorders often have an onset in adolescence”

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Emerging adulthood is not a universal experience. What factors make emerging adulthood more common?

Answer 5

“WEIRD”
*Western
*Educated
*Industrialized
*Rich
*Democratic

Question 6

What seems to be the most important factor in Emerging Adulthood occuring?

Answer 6

Economically developed

Question 7

Are most aspects of physical maturation complete by the time Early Adulthood is reached?

Answer 7

Yes. Sí. Oui. Ja. Sì.

Question 8

What is the age range of peak physiological development?

Answer 8

19-26 yrs old

Question 9

What physical changes occur during early adulthood?

Answer 9

§ Lens of the eye begins to thicken/changes in vision
§ Sensitivity to sound decreases (rate for men is 2x the rate of women)
§ Muscle tone begins to decline (~age 30)
§ Hair begins thinning and going gray around age 35
§ Skin becomes drier, wrinkles begin to appear
§ Declines in response time or ability to recover from physical exertion
§ Immune system becomes less adept in fighting off illness

Question 10

What is the leading cause of death during early adulthood?

Answer 10

Unintentional death.

Question 11

What is Early adulthood’s mortality rate compared from Males to Females?

Answer 11

Mortality rate for males is nearly 3x higher than Females. Males: 137 vs Females: 49.3

Question 12

When does prefrontal cortex finish developing?

Answer 12

Early 20s

Question 13

What are the types of risks people in early adulthood take?

Answer 13

• Positive risks: beneficial to one’s development, often socially acceptable
• Negative risks: maladaptive to one’s
  development, often antisocial and/or socially
  unacceptable fighting, or stealing
• Negative health risks: risks that are associated
  with one’s heath

Question 14

What are the characteristics of the ‘Postformal Thought’ stage?

Answer 14

The basing of decisions on what is realistic & practical rather than idealistic:
§ Thinking is more practical, more flexible, and can hold contradictions
§ Dialectical thinking
§ Contextualism
§ Reflective Judgment

Question 15

Does everyone reach Postformal Thought? Why?

Answer 15

No, outside influences such as higher education play a role in the Postformal Thought stage being reached

Question 16

True or False?
The effect of college on cognition are half of what they were 20 years ago.

Answer 16

True

Question 17

In the first two years of college, what percentage of students showed no
advancements in cognition?

Answer 17

45%

Question 18

What do college students and professors aim to do at university?

Answer 18

Professors aim to engage critical thinking and analyses
Many students aim to get their degree and start working ASAP

Question 19

What is Flow Theory?

Answer 19

The theory that people are most fulfilled when engaged in activity that is appropriately challenging & engaging

Question 20

When do the majority of “Flow Experiences” occur?

Answer 20

While working

Question 21

What are characteristics of “Flow Experiences”?

Answer 21

§Increased feelings of productivity, creativity, positive emotions,
motivation
§Enhanced performance, learning, relationships, personal growth
§Reduced anxiety

Question 22

What are traits for a High and Low score in the trait: Openness?

Answer 22

LOW: dislikes change and abstract concepts; more practical
HIGH: Creative, sensitive, active imagination

Question 23

What are traits for a High and Low score in the trait: Conscientiousness?

Answer 23

LOW: Impulsive, disorganized, prone to procrastinate
HIGH: Like to plan meticulously, dependable

Question 24

What are traits for a High and Low score in the trait: Extraversion?

Answer 24

LOW: Dislike social gatherings and small talk, reserved
HIGH: Outgoing, assertive, adventurous, likes to socialize

Question 25

What are traits for a High and Low score in the trait: Agreeableness?

Answer 25

LOW: come off as hostile, suspicious and even manipulative HIGH: Empathetic, caring, trusting

Question 26

What are traits for a High and Low score in the trait: Neuroticism?

Answer 26

LOW: Calm, even tempered, relaxed HIGH: Can have dramatic mood swings, get easily upset or anxious

Question 27

True or False? Personality traits are perfect at predicting behaviors.

Answer 27

False

Question 28

True or False? About 10% of the variance in ppl’s behavior can be explained by personality traits.

Answer 28

True

Question 29

Generally, do we see major changes in Extraversion or Openness across young adulthood?

Answer 29

No (but some people's Openess increases during college years [18-22])

Question 30

Which of the Big 5 personality traits increase during early adulthood? Why?

Answer 30

Conscientiousness and Agreeableness likely due to engagement with adult roles such as marriage, workforce, etc.

Question 31

What is a benefit of high conscientiousness?

Answer 31

Higher likelihood of better academic performance

Question 32

What are some consequences of high neuroticism?

Answer 32

An increased risk of divorce, depression, and more economic costs (from health services and productivity losses)

Question 33

Someone who scores low in conscientiousness and extraversion has an increased risk of what?

Answer 33

Increased risk of poor physical health and lower life expectancy

Question 34

Someone who scores high in extraversion and low in neuroticism will likely have what?

Answer 34

A greater subjective wellbeing

Question 35

Someone who scores low in agreeableness and extraversion has a increased likelihood of what?

Answer 35

A greater likelihood of strained relationships and peer rejection

Question 36

What stage of Erikson's theory are people experiencing during early adulthood? Age Range?

Answer 36

Intimacy VS Isolation (21-39 yrs old)

Question 37

How do infant attachment styles relate to adults navigating relationships?

Answer 37

Infant attachment styles have implications for how early experiences affect romantic relationships as adults

Question 38

Fill in the blank. Hazan & Shaver (1987) based [BLANK] on Ainsworth’s model

Answer 38

3 adult attachment categories

Question 39

What are the characteristics of a dismissive avoidant attachment style?

Answer 39

* Tends to believe that they don’t have to be in a relationship to feel complete * Do not want to depend on others, have others depend on them, or seek support and approval in social bonds * Generally avoid emotional closeness and/or tend to hide or suppress their feelings and/or emotions

Question 40

What are the characteristics of a anxious attachment style?

Answer 40

* The anxious adult often seeks approval, support, and responsiveness from their partner * People value their relationships highly, but are often anxious and worried that their loved one is not as invested in the relationship as they are

Question 41

What are the characteristics of a secure attachment style?

Answer 41

* Can depend on partners & let their partners rely on them * Relationships based on honesty, tolerance, and emotional closeness * Tend to have a positive view of themselves and others

Question 42

What are the characteristics of a fearful avoidant or disorganized attachment style?

Answer 42

* Want intimacy and closeness, but also experience trouble trusting and depending on others * Do not regulate emotions well and avoid strong emotional attachment, due to their fear of getting hurt

Question 43

Can people change their attachment style?

Answer 43

Yes through healthy friendships & relationships, psychotherapy people can move towards a secure attachment style

Question 44

True or False? Young adults with more secure relationships with parents tend to have more easy transition to adulthood than those with insecure relationships.

Answer 44

True

Question 45

What is a consequence of insecure and avoidant attachment styles in a relationship?

Answer 45

Insecure attachments offer lower relationship satisfaction Avoidant attachments offer less support to partners

Question 46

What are some influences on attraction?

Answer 46

§ Physical attractiveness § Similarity § Proximity § Familiarity § Reciprocity § Intimacy § Hard-to-get effect

Question 47

What is the Halo Effect?

Answer 47

We often perceive someone positively based on their other positive qualities such as beauty

Question 48

What is the Matching Hypothesis?

Answer 48

The theory that we date others who are similar to us in terms of how socially desirable they are

Question 49

How does proximity relate to attraction?

Answer 49

The closer people live to one another, the more likely & frequently they are to interact creating a mere exposure effect

Question 50

What is the Mere Exposure effect?

Answer 50

The more frequent exposure to a stimulus, the greater our liking of it will be

Question 51

How does reciprocity relate to attraction?

Answer 51

We prefer & like people who make us feel rewarded and appreciated and in the spirit of reciprocation

Question 52

What is one way (discussed in lecture) that intimacy can develop?

Answer 52

Self-disclosure

Question 53

What are the 3 different types of self disclosure?

Answer 53

§ Safe = emotionally laden, vulnerability § Unsafe disclosures = paint the storyteller as a victim without conveying any real or concrete feelings § Overdisclosure = oversharing of information, can cause suspicion & reduced attraction