Lifespan Development and Personality

Lifespan Development and Personality

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PSY/103

January 12, 2013

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Lifespan Development and Personality

Although the age boundaries are not set in stone, we will consider early adulthood to be the developmental period that begins at approximately 18 to 40 years of age and is consider the stage where many young adults don’t have clue or still need direction in life. They tend to just start their lives with a less permanent job or full time job right after high school or go straight into college and work a part time gig. Some will go to trade school, while others will continue to graduate school. However, there are challenges and obstacles along the way and for many reaching economic independence are the ultimate achievement and a long process. “A longitudinal study found that at age 25 only slightly more than half of the participants were fully financially independent of their family of origin (Cohen & others, 2003). The most dramatic findings in this study, though, involved the extensive variability in the individual trajectories of adult roles from 17 to 27 years of age; many of the participants moved back and forth between increasing and decreasing economic dependency” (2013).

Transitioning from adolescence to early adulthood is a time to explore themselves, their attitudes, values, and life possibilities. Early adulthood is a time when physical development and capabilities are at its peak. The body functions are fully develop by the mid-twenties and their senses are at the sharpest point. Some individuals do mature late and will continue to grow during this stage of the development cycle. In the early stage of adulthood, approximately in their mid-20s, people have reached their psychomotor abilities; their reaction time is much quicker, muscle strength is greater and eye and hand coordination is better than at any other period. “Health in early adulthood is affected by accidents, diseases such as AIDS, cancer, and heart disease, and suicide. Secondary aging is associated with lifestyle choice, environmental influences, and cultural factors such as gender and race” (2013). There are many variables that affect physical and cognitive development in early adulthood. These variables include such things as health, physical fitness and stress. Individuals in this stage of their life have no chronic or impaired conditions and at most will only suffer minor injuries or get pregnant. Young adults must still pay attention to their health by eating right and exercising, especially when they make that transition from adolescence to young adulthood.

Health is one of the major factors of the physical and cognitive development.