Emerging Adulthood: Biosocial Development
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Transcript Emerging Adulthood: Biosocial Development
17 - Emerging Adulthood:
Biosocial Development
Ages 18 – 25
Growth & Strength
Body changes
Good health
Full height
Girls – 16 years old
Boys – 18 years old
Immune system well developed
Senescence (Aging)
Begins in late adolescence
Sexual activity
Sex activity is vigorous, infertility rare, orgasm frequent,
birth (comparatively) easy
Sex hormones peak about age 20
Frequent intercourse (w/o contraception)- a women in
20’s will become pregnant within three months
Contraception = reduced birth rate + increased sexual
activity (in unmarried adults)
Sexually transmitted infections (STI’s)
About half the time STI’s have no symptoms
Half of emerging adults = at least one STI
Increased to epidemic proportions due to:
Changing sexual behaviors
Globalization
Sex & emotional stress
Emotional stress as relationships begin and end
Emotional pain & frustration can occur from differing
attitudes on the purpose of sex
Attitudes on the purpose of sex
Reproduction (Children)
Relationship (Intimacy)
More women
More women
Recreation (Fun)
More men
Psychopathology
Increases in emerging adulthood
Double that for adults over age 25
Mood disorders
Bipolar disorder
May begin in childhood and become more severe in adulthood
Depression
Most common mood disorder
Possibly rooted in neurotransmitters and hormones
Anxiety disorders
Panic attacks
PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
More common worldwide than depression
Schizophrenia
About 1% of adults
Disorganized thoughts (Word salad)
Delusions (Thoughts)
Hallucinations (Seeing or hearing)
Inappropriate emotions
Symptoms usually begin in adolescence
Good Health Habits
Exercise
If not fit = 4 times more likely to have diabetes and high
blood pressure 15 years later
Eating well
Set point (Thermostat)
Creates stable weight
Affected by: age, genes, diet, hormones, and exercise
Body mass index (BMI)
How fat you are
Ratio of weight (in kilograms) divided by height (in meters)
squared
Taking Risks
Greater willingness to take risks
Sexual behavior
Drive without seat belts
Carry guns
Use addictive drugs
Extreme sports
Bunge jumping
Base jumping
“Living on the edge”
Drug abuse
Abuse = Impairs biological or psychological well-being
Addiction = Absence of drug produces a biological drive
to get more
Particularly common among people that die violently
Suicide, homicide, or car accident