1. Emerging Adulthood:Psychosocial Demirchyan, Layla Ibrahim, Aiman Papazian, Christina Wharton, Amy

2. Personality Patterns Personality endures lifelong Nature and nurture both play major roles in the formation of a personality Origins are genetic; early childhood experiences shape the expression of genetic impulses New personality dimensions are particularly likely to appear in emerging adulthood Personality is far from static after childhood

3. Continuity and Change The personality patterns of adults of every age are affected by the norms of their culture and by their social context Emerging adults today make choices that are adventuresome breaks with their past Have not yet settled into a chosen family or lifestyle Therefore, not surprising that personalities may change Psychological research on personality traits of twins from ages 17 to 24 finds both genetic continuity and developmental improvements Longitudinal studies have shown that actual patterns of change are complex Plasticity is evident Personality is not fixed in emerging adults but is rather open to new experiences Major decisions—going to college, leaving home, becoming independent, or stopping drug abuse—have the potential to change the life course Does not mean total change is possible

4. Mental Health and Illness Emerging adults usually feel quite pleased with themselves Dealing with transitions successfully correlates with well-being (Schulenberg et al., 2005) The stresses of emerging adulthood might be thought to reduce self-esteem, but research has evidenced otherwise Allows young adults to be less self-centered and more caring of other people (N. Eisenberg et al., 2005; Padilla-Walker et al. 2008) Taking on one responsibility makes it easier to take on another (Sneed et al., 2007)

5. Mental Health and Illness (cont’d)

6. Tibetan Personality Test Put the following five animals in order by preference: cow, horse, tiger, sheep, and pig Write one word that describes each of the following items:dog, cat, rat, coffee, and sea Think of someone who you know, who also knows you, that is important to you which can relate to the following colors. Do not use the same person twice: yellow, orange,red, white, and green

7. This will define your priorities in life: Cowsignifies career Tiger signifies pride Sheepsignifies love Horse signifies family Pigsignifies money Your description of : Dogimplies your personality Cat implies your partner's personality Ratimplies the personality of your enemies Coffeeis how you interpret sex Sea implies your own life Yellow: someone you'll never forget Orange: someone you consider a true friendRed: someone you really loveWhite: your twin soulGreen: someone you will remember for the rest of your life Your Answers…

8. Psychopathology Most emerging adults benefit from independence Some become overwhelmed by the many obstacles they face From ages 18 to 25, “young people are coming to grips with their lives” (Galambos et al., 2006, p. 360) Average well-being increases, but so does the incidence of psychopathology, or mental disorders Adults are more likely to have an episode of mental illness during emerging adulthood than during any later time Researchers agree that the late teens and early 20s are a sensitive period Diathesis-stress model is the view that psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia, are produced by the interaction of a genetic vulnerability (the diathesis) and stressful environmental factors and life events Some of the actions of emerging adults disrupt healthy emotions For instance, substance use disorder, or drug abuse

9. Specific Mental Disorders Each particular psychopathology has a developmental trajectory Substance use disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia are more likely to appear in emerging adulthood Mood disorders About one-quarter of mood disorders begin in adolescence, and another quarter being in young adulthood Before age 30, 15% of U.S. residents suffer from a mood disorder such as major depression Origins of major depression are biochemical, involving imbalances in neurotransmitters and hormones, but stresses can be triggers Anxiety disorders Occur in about one-fourth of all emerging adults in the United States Include PTSD, OCD, panic attacks, and eating disorders Influenced by age, cultural context, and economic pressure A new anxiety disorder in Japan called hikikomori, or “pull away,” may affect more than 100,000 young adults A person with hikikomori is intensely anxious about the social and academic pressures of life Pressures to succeed in all aspects can overwhelm young adults Schizophrenia About 1% of all adults experience at least one episode of schizophrenia Partly genetic A child who has a biological parent with schizophrenia has about 1 chance in 8 of developing the disorder Other factors beyond heredity increase the rate, including anoxia at birth, malnutrition while the brain is developing, and social pressure Developmentalists find an interest in the relationship among age, gender, and schizophrenia Almost never does a first episode occur before age 10 or after age 25 Diagnosis is most common from ages 18 to 24 Young males are particularly vulnerable Something in the bodies, minds, or social surroundings of young men are factors in the onset of schizophrenia

10. Identity and Intimacy Identity Achieved… The search for identity begins at puberty and continues on through emerging adulthood Erickson believed that, at each stage, the outcome of earlier crises provides the foundation of each new era Childhood experiences affects adult development

11. Identity and Intimacy (cont’d)

12. Ethnic Identity In the U.S. and Canada, about half of the 18- to 25-year-olds are either children of immigrants or are native-born adults Ethnicity is a significant aspect of identity Emerging adults have friends with more diverse backgrounds than any other age group It is particularly difficult for immigrants to forge an identity Ethnic identity may affect choices in language, manners, romance, employment, neighborhood, religion, clothing, and values Ethnic identity is always complex: It is reciprocal, both a personal choice and a response to others It depends on context, so it changes with time and circumstances It is multifaceted: Emerging adults choose to accept some attributes and reject others Changing contexts of life require ethnic identity to be reestablished at each phase In addition, combining past and future is a complex but crucial task

13. Vocational Identity Establishing a vocational identity is widely considered part of adulthood A correlation between college education and income has always been apparent Correlation is not perfect (1% of those in the top one-fifth income bracket are not high school graduates), but it is high Majority of emerging adults are employed while they are in college Whether in college or not, most young adults move from job to job Between ages 18 and 27, the average U.S. worker has eight jobs (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2006) Hiring and firing seem disconnected from the worker’s training or need for a steady job, especially for younger workers

14. Vocational Identity (cont’d)

15. Intimacy Erickson forcefully noted the reality that people need each other Erickson’s sixth psychosocial stage, intimacy versus isolation, particularly emphasizes that humans are social creatures All intimate relationships are common in many ways Intimacy progresses from attraction to close connection to ongoing commitment Erickson noted that each relationship demands some personal sacrifice People need “concrete affiliations and partnerships”

16. Friendships Friends are chosen for the very qualities that make them good companions: Trustworthy, reliable, understanding, loyal, affectionate, humorous They defend against stress and provide joy Traditionally, young men and women choose to be friends with their own sex and engage in sex-specific activities with them Males: shared activities Sports, cars, contests Females: intimate, emotional activities Self-disclosing talks about health, romances, and relatives Today’s common contexts of emerging adulthood all foster multiple acquaintances and friends of both sexes

17. Romance The Dimensions of Love… Robert Sternberg described 3 distinct aspects of love: Passion, intimacy, and commitment Passionis the connection between a couple; it’s the dominant aspect of love for young adults Characterized by excitement, ecstasy, and euphoria The entire body and mind, hormones, and neurons are activated Intimacy is established when couples know each other well enough to share secrets, as well as sex Commitmentis the one that takes time Occurs through decisions, caregiving, shared possessions and secrets Passion may fade, intimacy may grow, and commitment may develop This pattern may occur for all types of couples Contemporary Lovers… People who marry young are likely to get divorced because they rush and do not develop the three dimensions of love Establishing a non-sexual relationship that later leads to one is proven to be more successful than otherwise College students engage in what they call "hookups," purely sexual activity with no relationship

18. Romance (cont’d)

19. Romance (cont’d) Cohabitation… Cohabit means to live with an unrelated person—typically a romantic partner—to whom one is not married May share expenses and routines as well as a bed but not a belief in long-term commitments Domestic violence and excessive drinking are more likely to occur among young adults who cohabit than among those who marry Married couples are more likely to divorce if they have lived together before marriage Divorce is common (ending 45% of U.S. marriages) and difficult

20. Family Connections Families are “our most important individual support system.” All members of each family have linked lives The experiences and needs of family members at one stage of life are affected by those of members at other stages Parents continue to be crucial influences after age 18 Fewer emerging adults today have established their own families, secured successful jobs, or achieved a definite understanding of their identity and goals In many aspects, parents of emerging adults are relatively well off Financially stable Lack thereof in some cases is a problem for emerging adults affected by it College is costly; living expenses are not cheap Worldwide, college graduation rates decrease as family income falls Health wise, most can expect to live for decades longer Reasoning as to why they want their adult children to be successful

21. Family Connections (cont’d) Most emerging adults, like humans of all ages, have strengths as well as liabilities Many survive risks, overcome substance abuse, combat loneliness, and deal with many of the challenges of life Most find liberation in postponing major life decisions—marriage, parenting, career success—until their identity is firmly established Then they are ready for the commitment and responsibility of adulthood…