(BQ) Part 1 book "Developmental psychology" has contents: Early adulthood - Physical and cognitive development; early adulthood - Physical and cognitive development; early adulthood - Physical and cognitive development; late adulthood - Physical and cognitive development; death and dying,. and other contents. | 8614-9 6/28/00 2:12 PM Page 103 CHAPTER 12 EARLY ADULTHOOD: PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT Development takes on new meaning in adulthood because the process is no longer defined by physical and cognitive growth spurts. Adulthood, which encompasses the majority of a person’s life span, is marked instead by considerable psychosocial gains that are coupled with steady but slow physical decline. Age clocks, or the internal sense of timing of physical and social events, determine the various life stages through which adults pass. Although people age at different rates, the majority of Americans, reinforced by social norms, pass through a series of predictable periods. Perhaps the best-known stage theory of adult development is that offered by Daniel Levinson (see Chapter 1, Table 1-1). According to Levinson, the ages of 17 to 45 encompass early adulthood, which he divides into the novice phase (17–33) and the culminating phase (33–45). Levinson further divides the novice phase into the stages of early adult transition (17–22), entering the adult world (22–28), and age-30 transition (28–33). The culminating phase (33–45) consists of the settling down (33–40) and midlife transition(40–45) stages. As with any stage theory, these stages are only a guide for the development that normally occurs along a continuum. Not everyone progresses through each stage at exactly the same age. Physical Development in Early Adulthood The young adult years are often referred to as the peak years. Young adults experience excellent health, vigor, and physical functioning. Young adults have not yet been subjected to age-related physical deterioration, such as wrinkles, weakened body systems, and reduced lung and heart capacities. Their strength, coordination, reaction time, sensation (sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch), fine motor skills, and sexual response are at a maximum. DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 103 8614-9 6/28/00 2:12 PM Page 104 EARLY ADULTHOOD: PHYSCAL .
