In this unit, you learned about early adulthood in terms of physical, cognitive,

In this unit, you learned about early adulthood in terms of physical, cognitive, and personality development and major social life events. For this assignment, you will reflect on those topics and how they are portrayed in popular media. 
Think about a film or television show that features early adults as main characters. You can choose to watch one of the following films for this assignment: (If you want to choose something else, email me first for approval.)
The Graduate (1967)
She’s Having a Baby (1988)
Young Adult (2011)
Garden State (2004)
Reality Bites (1994)
Into the Wild (2007)
Raising Helen (2004)
Diner (1982)
Knocked Up (2007)
Life As We Know It (2010)
Take notes while watching the movie/tv show. Look for themes that were discussed in this unit. Some examples include:
intimacy vs. isolation
dialectical thought
gender roles
attachment
marriage
parenting
Select two themes that were present in the movie/tv show, and select two scenes from the movie/tv show that best portray those themes. Write a 2-3 page paper that follows this format. (Minimum 6 full paragraphs: remember, a full paragraph is at least 4 sentences long, beginning with a topic sentence.)
1st Paragraph: Give the title of the film/tv show and a brief synopsis in your own words.
2nd Paragraph: Explain Theme 1, in your own words, as well as citing the course material and outside sources. (You are NOT discussing the film in this paragraph, only the theme and what it means for early adults.)
3rd Paragraph: Describe Scene 1 and explain how it portrays Theme 1.
4th Paragraph: Explain Theme 2, in your own words, as well as citing the course material and outside sources. (You are NOT discussing the film in this paragraph, only the theme and what it means for early adults.)
5th Paragraph: Describe Scene 2 and explain how it portrays Theme 2.
6th Paragraph: Summarize your paper.
Include a reference page and in-text citations for all sources used (all in APA format).
please be sure to include in text citation from the chosen film and the chapter from the book below. 
The text below is from the book  Lifespan Development: A Psychological Perspective
By Martha Lally and Suzanne Valentine-French (Published 2017)
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Chapter 7: Emerging and Early Adulthood
Historically, early adulthood spanned from approximately 18 (the end of adolescence) until 40 to
45 (beginning of middle adulthood). More recently, developmentalists have divided this age
period into two separate stages: Emerging adulthood followed by early adulthood. Although
these age periods differ in their physical, cognitive, and social development, overall the age
period from 18 to 45 is a time of peak physical capabilities and the emergence of more mature
cognitive development, financial independence, and intimate relationships.
Learning Objectives: Emerging Adulthood
 Explain emerging adulthood
 Explain how emerging adulthood differs from adolescence and adulthood
 Describe cultural variations of emerging adulthood
 Identify the markers of adulthood
 Identify where emerging and early adults currently live
Emerging Adulthood Defined
Emerging adulthood is the period between the late teens and early twenties; ages 18-25, although
some researchers have included up to age 29 in the definition (Society for the Study of Emerging
Adulthood, 2016). Jeffrey Arnett (2000) argues that emerging adulthood is neither adolescence
nor is it young adulthood. Individuals in this age period have left behind the relative dependency
of childhood and adolescence, but have not yet taken on the responsibilities of adulthood.
“Emerging adulthood is a time of life when many different directions remain possible, when
little about the future is decided for certain, when the scope of independent exploration of life’s
possibilities is greater for most people than it will be at any other period of the life course”
(Arnett, 2000, p. 469).
Arnett has identified five characteristics of emerging adulthood that distinguishes it from
adolescence and young adulthood (Arnett, 2006).
 It is the age of identity exploration. In 1950, Erik Erikson proposed that it was during
adolescence that humans wrestled with the question of identity. Yet, even Erikson (1968)
commented on a trend during the 20th century of a “prolonged adolescence” in
industrialized societies. Today, most identity development occurs during the late teens
and early twenties rather than adolescence. It is during emerging adulthood that people
are exploring their career choices and ideas about intimate relationships, setting the
foundation for adulthood.
 Arnett also described this time period as the age of instability (Arnett, 2000; Arnett,
2006). Exploration generates uncertainty and instability. Emerging adults change jobs,
relationships, and residences more frequently than other age groups.
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 This is also the age of self-focus. Being self-focused is not the same as being “self-
centered.” Adolescents are more self-centered than emerging adults. Arnett reports that
in his research, he found emerging adults to be very considerate of the feelings of others,
especially their parents. They now begin to see their parents as people not just parents,
something most adolescents fail to do (Arnett, 2006). Nonetheless, emerging adults
focus more on themselves, as they realize that they have few obligations to others and
that this is the time where they can do what they want with their life.
 This is also the age of feeling in-
between. When asked if they feel
like adults, more 18 to 25 year-olds
answer “yes and no” than do teens or
adults over the age of 25 (Arnett,
2001). Most emerging adults have
gone through the changes of puberty,
are typically no longer in high school,
and many have also moved out of
their parents’ home. Thus, they no
longer feel as dependent as they did as
teenagers. Yet, they may still be
financially dependent on their parents
to some degree, and they have not
completely attained some of the indicators of adulthood, such as finishing their education,
obtaining a good full-time job, being in a committed relationship, or being responsible for
others. It is not surprising that Arnett found that 60% of 18 to 25 year-olds felt that in
some ways they were adults, but in some ways they were not (Arnett, 2001).
 Emerging adulthood is the age of possibilities. It is a time period of optimism as more 18
to 25 year-olds feel that they will someday get to where they want to be in life. Arnett
(2000, 2006) suggests that this optimism is because these dreams have yet to be tested.
For example, it is easier to believe that you will eventually find your soul mate when you
have yet to have had a serious relationship. It may also be a chance to change directions,
for those whose lives up to this point have been difficult. The experiences of children
and teens are influenced by the choices and decisions of their parents. If the parents are
dysfunctional, there is little a child can do about it. In emerging adulthood, people can
move out and move on. They have the chance to transform their lives and move away
from unhealthy environments. Even those whose lives were happier and more fulfilling
as children, now have the opportunity in emerging adulthood to become independent and
make decisions about the direction they would like their life to take.
Figure 7.1
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Cultural Variations
The five features proposed in the theory of emerging adulthood originally were based on
research involving about 300 Americans between ages 18 and 29 from various ethnic groups,
social classes, and geographical regions (Arnett, 2004). To what extent does the theory of
emerging adulthood apply internationally?
The answer to this question depends greatly on what part of the
world is considered. Demographers make a useful distinction
between the developing countries that comprise the majority of
the world’s population and the economically developed
countries that are part of the Organization for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD), including the United
States, Canada, Western Europe, Japan, South Korea,
Australia, and New Zealand. The current population of OECD
countries (also called developed countries) is 1.2 billion, about
18% of the total world population (United Nations
Development Programme, 2011). The rest of the human
population resides in developing countries, which have much
lower median incomes, much lower median educational
attainment, and much higher incidence of illness, disease, and
early death. Let us consider emerging adulthood in other
OECD countries as little is known about the experiences of 18-
25 year-olds in developing countries.
The same demographic changes as described above for the United States have taken place in
other OECD countries as well. This is true of participation in postsecondary education, as well as
median ages for entering marriage and parenthood (UNdata, 2010). However, there is also
substantial variability in how emerging adulthood is experienced across OECD countries. Europe
is the region where emerging adulthood is longest and most leisurely. The median ages for
entering marriage and parenthood are near 30 in most European countries (Douglass, 2007).
Europe today is the location of the most affluent, generous, and egalitarian societies in the world,
in fact, in human history (Arnett, 2007). Governments pay for tertiary education, assist young
people in finding jobs, and provide generous unemployment benefits for those who cannot find
work. In northern Europe, many governments also provide housing support. Emerging adults in
European societies make the most of these advantages, gradually making their way to adulthood
during their twenties while enjoying travel and leisure with friends.
The lives of Asian emerging adults in developed countries, such as Japan and South Korea, are in
some ways similar to the lives of emerging adults in Europe and in some ways strikingly
different. Like European emerging adults, Asian emerging adults tend to enter marriage and
parenthood around age 30 (Arnett, 2011). Like European emerging adults, Asian emerging adults
in Japan and South Korea enjoy the benefits of living in affluent societies with generous social
welfare systems that provide support for them in making the transition to adulthood, including
free university education and substantial unemployment benefits.
Figure 7.2
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However, in other ways, the experience of emerging adulthood in Asian OECD countries is
markedly different than in Europe. Europe has a long history of individualism, and today’s
emerging adults carry that legacy with them in their focus on self-development and leisure
during emerging adulthood. In contrast, Asian cultures have a shared cultural history
emphasizing collectivism and family obligations.
Although Asian cultures have become more
individualistic in recent decades, as a
consequence of globalization, the legacy of
collectivism persists in the lives of emerging
adults. They pursue identity explorations and
self-development during emerging adulthood,
like their American and European counterparts,
but within narrower boundaries set by their
sense of obligations to others, especially their
parents (Phinney & Baldelomar, 2011). For
example, in their views of the most important
criteria for becoming an adult, emerging adults
in the United States and Europe consistently
rank financial independence among the most
important markers of adulthood. In contrast,
emerging adults with an Asian cultural
background especially emphasize becoming capable of supporting parents financially as among
the most important criteria (Arnett, 2003; Nelson, Badger, & Wu, 2004). This sense of family
obligation may curtail their identity explorations in emerging adulthood to some extent, as they
pay more heed to their parents’ wishes about what they should study, what job they should take,
and where they should live than emerging adults do in the West (Rosenberger, 2007).
When Does Adulthood Begin?
According to Rankin and Kenyon (2008), historically the process of becoming an adult was more
clearly marked by rites of passage. For many individuals, marriage and becoming a parent were
considered entry into adulthood. However, these role transitions are no longer considered as the
important markers of adulthood (Arnett, 2001). Economic and social changes have resulted in
increase in young adults attending college (Rankin & Kenyon, 2008) and a delay in marriage and
having children (Arnett & Taber, 1994; Laursen & Jensen-Campbell, 1999) Consequently,
current research has found financial independence and accepting responsibility for oneself to be
the most important markers of adulthood in Western culture across age (Arnett, 2001) and ethnic
groups (Arnett, 2004).
In looking at college students’ perceptions of adulthood, Rankin and Kenyon (2008) found that
some students still view rites of passage as important markers. College students who had placed
more importance on role transition markers, such as parenthood and marriage, belonged to a
fraternity/sorority, were traditionally aged (18–25), belonged to an ethnic minority, were of a
traditional marital status; i.e., not cohabitating, or belonged to a religious organization,
particularly for men. These findings supported the view that people holding collectivist or more
Figure 7.3
Is your culture one that promotes romantic relationships for
emerging adults? Or does it encourage you to wait till
you’re older? What would it be like to live in the opposite
culture? [Image: Patrick Rodwell]
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traditional values place more importance on role transitions as markers of adulthood. In contrast,
older college students and those cohabitating did not value role transitions as markers of
adulthood as strongly.
Young Adults Living Arrangements
In 2014, for the first time in more than 130 years,
adults 18 to 34 were more likely to be living in their
parents’ home than they were to be living with a
spouse or partner in their own household (Fry, 2016).
The current trend is that young Americans are not
choosing to settle down romantically before age 35.
Since 1880, living with a romantic partner was the
most common living arrangement among young adults.
In 1960, 62% of America’s 18- to 34-year-olds were
living with a spouse or partner in their own household,
while only 20% were living with their parents.
By 2014, 31.6% of early adults were living with
a spouse or partner in their own household,
while 32.1% were living in the home of their
parent(s). Another 14% of early adults lived
alone, were a single parent, or lived with one or
more roommates. The remaining 22% lived in
the home of another family member (such as a
grandparent, in-law, or sibling), a non-relative,
or in group quarters (e.g., college dormitories).
Comparing ethnic groups, 36% of black and
Hispanic early adults lived at home, while 30%
of white young adults lived at home.
As can be seen in Figure 7.5, gender differences
in living arrangements are also noted in that
young men are living with parents at a higher
rate than young women. In 2014, 35% of
young me were residing with their parents,
while 28% were living with a spouse or partner
in their own household. Young women were
more likely to be living with a spouse or partner
(35%) than living with their parents (29%).
Additionally, more young women (16%) than
young men (13%) were heading up a household
without a spouse or partner, primarily because
women are more likely to be single parents
living with their children. Lastly, young men
(25%) are more likely than young women
Figure 7.4
Source
Figure 7.5
235
(19%) to be living in the home of another family member, a non-relative, or in some type of
group quarters (Fry, 2016).
What are some factors that help explain these changes in living arrangements? First, early
adults are postponing marriage or choosing not to marry or cohabitate. Lack of employment and
lower wages have especially contributed to males residing with their parents. Men who are
employed are less likely to live at home. Wages for young men (adjusting for inflation) have
been falling since 1970 and correlate with the rise in young men living with their parents. The
recent recession and recovery (2007-present) has also contributed to the increase in early adults
living at home. College enrollments increased during the recession, which further increased
early adults living at home. However, once early adults possess a college degree, they are more
likely to establish their own households (Fry, 2016).
Learning Objectives: Physical Development in Emerging and Early
Adulthood
 Summarize the overall physical growth in early adulthood
 Describe statistics, possible causes, and consequences of obesity
 Explain how early adulthood is a healthy, yet risky time of life.
 Identify the risk factors for substance use
 Describe the changes in brain maturation
 Define sexuality and explain the female and male reproductive systems
 Describe the brain areas and hormones responsible for sexual behavior
 Identify sexually transmitted infections
 Describe cultural views related to sexuality
 Describe research on sexual orientation
The Physiological Peak
People in their mid-twenties to mid-forties are considered to be in early adulthood. By the time
we reach early adulthood, our physical maturation is complete, although our height and weight
may increase slightly. Those in their early twenties are probably at the peak of their
physiological development, including muscle strength, reaction time, sensory abilities, and
cardiac functioning. The reproductive system, motor skills, strength, and lung capacity are all
operating at their best. Most professional athletes are at the top of their game during this stage,
and many women have children in the early-adulthood years (Boundless, 2016).
The aging process actually begins during early adulthood. Around the age of 30, many changes
begin to occur in different parts of the body. For example, the lens of the eye starts to stiffen and
thicken, resulting in changes in vision (usually affecting the ability to focus on close objects).
Sensitivity to sound decreases; this happens twice as quickly for men as for women. Hair can
start to thin and become gray around the age of 35, although this may happen earlier for some
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individuals and later for others. The skin becomes drier and wrinkles start to appear by the end of
early adulthood. This includes a decline in response time and the ability to recover quickly from
physical exertion. The immune system also becomes less adept at fighting off illness, and
reproductive capacity starts to decline (Boundless, 2016).
Obesity
Although at the peak of physical health, a concern for early adults is the current rate of obesity.
Results from the 2015 National Center for Health Statistics indicate that an estimated 70.7% of
U.S. adults aged 20 and over are overweight and 37.9% are obese (CDC, 2015b). Body mass
index (BMI), expressed as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2), is
commonly used to classify overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9), obesity (BMI greater than or equal to
30.0), and extreme obesity (BMI greater than or equal to 40.0). The 2015 statistics are an
increase from the 2013-2014 statistics that indicated that an estimated 35.1% were obese, and
6.4% extremely obese (Fryar, Carroll, & Ogden, 2014). In 2003-2004, 32% of American adults
were identified as obese. The CDC also indicated that one’s 20s are the prime time to gain
weight as the average person gains one to two pounds per year from early adulthood into middle
adulthood. The average man in his 20s weighs around 185 pounds and by his 30s weighs
approximately 200 pounds. The average American woman weighs 162 pounds in her 20s and
170 pounds in her 30s.
The American obesity crisis is also reflected
worldwide (Wighton, 2016). In 2014, global obesity
rates for men were measured at 10.8% and among
women 14.9%. This translates to 266 million obese
men and 375 million obese women in the world, and
more people were identified as obese than
underweight. Although obesity is seen throughout
the world, more obese men and women live in China
and the USA than in any other country. Figure 7.6
illustrates how waist circumference is also used as a
measure of obesity. Figure 7.7 demonstrates the
percentage growth for males and females identified
as obese between 1960 and 2012.
Causes of Obesity: According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2016), obesity
originates from a complex set of contributing factors,
including one’s environment, behavior, and genetics.
Societal factors include culture, education, food marketing and promotion, the quality of food,
and the physical activity environment available. Behaviors leading to obesity include diet, the
amount of physical activity, and medication use. Lastly, there does not appear to be a single gene
responsible for obesity. Rather, research has identified variants in several genes that may
contribute to obesity by increasing hunger and food intake. Another genetic explanation is the
mismatch between today’s environment and “energy-thrifty genes” that multiplied in the distant
past, when food sources were unpredictable. The genes that helped our ancestors survive
occasional famines are now being challenged by environments in which food is plentiful all the
Figure 7.6 Waist Circumference
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time. Overall, obesity most likely results from complex interactions among the environment and
multiple genes.
Obesity Health Consequences: Obesity is considered to be one of the leading causes of death in
the United States and worldwide. Additionally, the medical care costs of obesity in the United
States were estimated to be $147 billion in 2008. According to the CDC (2016) compared to
those with a normal or healthy weight, people who are obese are at increased risk for many
serious diseases and health conditions including:
 All-causes of death (mortality)
 High blood pressure (Hypertension)
 High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (Dyslipidemia)
 Type 2 diabetes
 Coronary heart disease
 Stroke
 Gallbladder disease
 Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)
 Sleep apnea and breathing problems
 Some cancers (endometrial, breast, colon, kidney, gallbladder, and liver)
 Low quality of life
 Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders
 Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning
Figure 7.7 Adult Obesity Trends
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