The Assignment on Young Adultshood

Running head: YOUNG ADULTHOOD
YOUNG ADULTHOOD
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1
YOUNG ADULTHOOD
Young adults are characterised as people whose age ranges from late teens to early
twenties. Throughout adulthood the bodies of individuals never stops growing and they
continue to learn as well as grow through the experiences that takes place in their life (Tanner
& Arnett 2016). There are three primary stages that are associated with adulthood and they
are physical, psychological as well as emotional development (Tanner & Arnett 2016). The
primary aim of the essay is to discuss the changes that occurs during young adulthood and
one of the social problem that is faced by the above group. The essay will also focus on the
role of social worker and what initiative they take to curb the above problem.
During young adulthood there are a lot of changes that people goes through during
this age. Firstly, they try to achieve autonomy where they try to establish themselves as
independent individuals and want to take their own decisions. During this time these adults
start asserting their identity by firmly establishing their likes, dislikes as well as preferences
(Roberts & Davis 2016). At this stage of their life they become involved with various
activities that take place within the community and at the same time volunteer in civic
organisations. When children gradually enter the phase of young adulthood their capacity to
think, relationship skills as well as their capacity to regulate their personal emotions all occur
at a developmental level where the young adults are able to cope with the diverse as well as
technologically global and rapidly changing world (Roberts & Davis 2016). Young adults are
able to hold as well as manipulate their mental visor through abstractions. Young adults are
also able to consider different points of view and at the same time hold multiple perspectives
(Scott, Bonnie & Steinberg 2016). During early adulthood the physical abilities of every
individual is a their peak that includes muscular strength, reaction time, functioning related to
cardiac activities as well as various abilities of the senses (Scott, Bonnie & Steinberg 2016).
Since every individual spend many years in his young adulthood it is quite natural that the
cognitive development at this time will also be more.

2
YOUNG ADULTHOOD
Cognitive development during young adulthood is quite complex and is also
considered as an ever-changing process that is more active when compared to early childhood
as well as infancy (Chung et al., 2017). The cognitive development during this time is steady
when compared to other stages. Various research that has been conducted shows that young
adults who engage themselves in physical as well as mental activities do not experience more
cognitive decline like in later years (Chung et al., 2017). Going back to Jean Piaget’s theory
of cognitive development, the initial operational thinking begins during the early childhood
and throughout adulthood. Being influenced by Piaget other psychologists have also
suggested a fifth stage regarding cognitive development that is widely known as postformal
operational thinking (Sinnott et al., 2016). In the latter mode of thinking young adults make
decisions that are based on situations as well as circumstances where they integrate logic with
emotions. This kind of thinking also talks about the ability to think in dialectics (Sinnott et
al., 2016).
During young adulthood the social as well as emotional development takes place that
is intertwined with identity, moral as well as career. It was Erik Erikson who was the first
psychologist to have included young adulthood as a part of developmental stage (Syed &
McLean 2017). At this stage it is seen how the crisis within adolescence transforms into a
crisis of intimacy during the period of young adulthood. Though young adults develop a
positive sense of identity for themselves the issues regarding socio-emotional development at
this stage mainly arise as these individuals find it difficult to fit themselves socially (Syed &
McLean 2017). According to Erikson it is only intimacy that helps in promoting healthy
relationships where individuals try to focus on the other aspect of the self. Furthermore, as
noted by Erikson, the issues regarding socio-emotional changes during young adulthood stage
develops due to isolation (Robinson, Demetre & Litman 2017). At this stage some of the
adults faces issues to interact as well as build relationship with other people. This leads to