Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood - Essay Example

Running Head: HUMAN GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT (Your Name) (Institution’s Name) Introduction It is commonly assumed that development ends after adolescence, thus leaving the remainder of life - the adult years - to be lived in a rather steady, stable state. Emerging empirical evidence on adult life, however, has forced us to question this assumption. Indeed available data support the notion that development and change occur throughout the human life span. Lack of knowledge of these predictable changes in adult life can be detrimental. The belief that one enters into adulthood and adopts a stable life pattern that lasts more or less indefinitely is a ‘cruel illusion since it leads people in early adulthood to believe that they are, or should be, fully adult and settled, and that there are no major crises or development ahead’ (Freiberg, 1989) When these transitions are encountered without adequate preparation, individuals often feel as though they have done something wrong. They are often operating under the assumption that upon making major life decisions in early adulthood, everything should be set for them for the rest of their lives. As we shall see throughout the paper, life does not progress that way. Adulthood is not just the state of being an adult, it is a process- a process that is both dynamic and developmental. Changes occur in both the individual and the roles he/she assume at different phases of the adult lifespan. Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood The development of intellectual ability in early adulthood has been approached principally through descriptive and empirical approaches that focus on reason and problem solving, imagery and fantasy, social relationships and beyond problem finding and dialectical thinking (Piaget’s formal operational stage) Reasoning and Problem Solving Although logical reasoning is perfected in adolescence it is not largely used until adulthood. When individuals become responsible and committed, they apply their logical abilities in choosing the best course of action regarding problem solving. When individuals realize the complication of various life challenges, they recognize the necessity of a guiding philosophy or life plan that gives emphasis and direction to the challenge of problem solving. Whenever a life problem is faced in a direct and active way, cognitive growth is stimulated. For instance, when a person realizes that there is a distinction between what he/she wishes were true and what he/she evaluates to be true, the distinction encourages the person to move to a new level of attention or arousal.(Erikson, 1968) Looking for a solution can turn out to be very stimulating. The search always involves establishing several solutions and then imagining the outcomes of each. This provides a better opportunity in manipulating reality through modifying conditions that will help fit one’s objectives more satisfactorily. (Erikson, 1968) Implementing the solution offers another opportunity for the individual to study how closely he/she predicts reality through her skills in problem solving. Whenever the solution works the individual is always filled with a sense of success. Even if it does not work, it still opens new opportunities, it becomes very possible to realize new aspects of reality as well as to re-evaluate personal resources that are used in problem solving. By early adulthood, cognition has reached a level at which logic, abstractions, hypothesis testing and capacity for manipulating several variables simultaneously emerge. Further evidence reveals that the quality of reasoning and problem solving changes during adult life. According to Piaget’s stage of formal operations, adults direct their thinking not only toward finding solutions to problems but also toward thought itself. (Erikson, 1968) Metacognition (monitoring one’s thoughts) provides a means of detecting errors in misunderstandings or logic. Adults have the capacity of removing or imposing constraints on their thoughts and hence solving the same problem under different conditions. The mind operates simultaneously at two levels i.e. one level produces ideas while the other level keeps away the normal constraints from interfering. In early adulthood, several levels of consciousness exist simultaneously and each level produces a unique contribution to knowing. (Salkind, 1999) Social relationships Young adults always find themselves trying to solve those problems that focus on interpersonal relationships. In single encounters, individuals often become involved in brief encounters that might not go beyond a single interaction. These can be vitalizing and enriching, depending with attitude and the situation of participants. In associational relations group membership entails individuals to have repeated encounters with other individuals over time. Degree of intimacy depends with the situation. (Salkind, 1999) Collegial or Business Relations Interaction with colleagues is one of the responsibilities in the workplace. Situation requirements always influence the degree of personal investment as may be affected by the quality of interaction. In early adulthood young adults establishes relationships that leads to friendship. Friends act as a source of support as well as provision of warm emotional feelings. ‘They bolters the human ego, self definition, and self-acceptance. They provide practical help, intellectual stimulation and can be just plain fun’. (Salkind, 1999) Family relations provide an entire network of relationships on daily basis. Family members possess special and unique feelings towards one another as compared with feelings in other human relationships. With intimate relations, intimacy always occurs between wife and husband, parent and child as well as between lovers. Emotional commitment and deep understanding to the other and to his/her development characterize intimate relations. Most individuals focus on all these personal relationships everyday. Considerable time may be spent to thinking about these interpersonal systems, without the participant’s realization. Thoughts possessed in these relationships can be quite stimulating. Each relationship is evaluated, monitored and analyzed within its own perspective. Young adults employ intellectual activity to form plans for social interaction that meet personal needs while in compliance with the “perceived societal norms for responsive and ethical relationships”. (Salkind, 1999) Fantasy and imagery Mental images are always described as ‘pictures in the mind’ since they are central to the thinking process. Often they are linked with fantasy thought. Daydreaming normally involves series of images that are accompanied by feelings and at times voices or other sensory experiences. In early adulthood mental images are employed as a tool for problem solving and possess qualities that make them to suit this task. They allow the integration of various variables at a simultaneous pace. They allow the systematic modification of relationships or objects without feeling constraint, a useful quality in searching solutions to those problems that involve social relationships. Images can help young adults in planning and setting goals for the future. Mental images can aid persons in coping with stress by enabling them maintain emotional calmness even in intense stress conditions. Though a sequence of imaginary encounters, an individual can learn to face a feared event with extra confidence. (Whitbourne and Weinstock, 1986) Personality Development in Early Adulthood Erikson was among the first theorists to recognize that there is life after adolescence. This he did through the identification of three adult stages. Erikson labelled the first stage “intimacy versus isolation” and it corresponds to early adulthood. During intimacy versus isolation a young adult will either form a commitment with another individual such that a meaningful and a warm relationship is established, or he/she will have special and unsuccessful relationship with little intimacy (if any) leading to the occurrence of a sense of isolation. In personality development, intimacy involves joining the separate identities of two people to form close, durable and intense bonds. (Whitbourne and Weinstock, 1986) After searching for and arriving at his/her personal identity, the young adult is now ready to integrate it with that of the other individual. Each participant of an intimate relationship influences the identity of the other party. Majority of young adults attempt to accomplish intimacy through sexual relationships, love relationships, close friendships and marriage. The danger of this stage as noted by Erikson is that intimate as well as combative and competitive relations can be experienced with the same individual. Erikson (1968) views intimacy as a combination of sensitivity to a loved partner, willingness to share, physical closeness, openness and mutuality. In true intimacy a young adult will maintain his/her identity outside the synthesis of the two identities although he/she will strongly commit himself/herself to the relationship. This will allow the development of true genitality. Erikson observes that much of sex before personal commitment will be of the identity-seeking nature, whereas he describes genitality as a “permanent state of reciprocal sexual bliss”. To Erikson the utopia of genitality should involve mutuality of orgasm with a loved partner of the opposite sex with whom one is able and willing to share a mutual trust and with whom one is able and willing to regulate the cycles of (i) work (ii) procreation and (iii) recreation so as to secure to the offspring, too, all the stages of a satisfactory development. (Erikson, 1968) Although Erikson perceived intimacy in the perspective of a married heterosexual relationship, when taken as mutuality, intimacy will describe any relationship involving emotional commitment among two young adults. It can involve close friendships between young adults from the same or opposite gender, homosexuals and heterosexual adult relationships that have not been approved by the legal framework. The mutuality to be witnessed in an intimate relationship will incorporate open and deep communication with increased commitment by both parties to one another as well as to the future of the relationship. (Whitbourne and Weinstock, 1986) To achieve permanence and enrichment in an intimate relationship each partner should make contributions. Both parties are required to work jointly so as to achieve permanence and in turn form a growth experience for the other. Enrichment of an intimate relationship is enhanced by lack of strict role expectations and communication from each partner. Rogers (1992) believes that in true intimacy communication enables each partner to portray elements of self in an honest and open way thus contributing to an environment that encourages each partner to feel comfortable in his/her openness. Through eliminating strict role expectations, partners will develop, accept and clarify roles as they relate to each other. Isolation involves avoiding all those contacts that commit to intimacy, it leads to a deep self-absorption and can take the form of withdrawing from others within the societal setup thus failing to establish relationships and close friendships. This disturbance can result to critical character problems in psychopathology. Partnerships can be formed between two isolated individuals thereby protecting them from the necessity of facing the next severe development i.e. generativity that corresponds to middle adulthood. (Rogers, 1992) Sexuality and Gender Roles in Early Adulthood Early adulthood is a time for assuming adult status for the first time. It involves developing a personal value system and making one’s own judgements rather than relying on directives from parents. This process which begins in adolescence and becomes more firmly established in early adulthood is an important point of transition in life. The thread of sexuality appears throughout the development tasks of young adult. Young adults are faced with many decisions regarding their view of appropriate sexual behaviour. During this time of life, individuals must work out personally acceptable patterns of sexuality that will allow them to express their affection and caring for others. In addition, they must clarify their views on premarital sex, contraception, abortion and homosexuality. Sexual values are part of an individual’s larger value system. Rogers (1992) believes that the search for values is related to the search for identity and that young adults have few guideposts for sexual decision making. In early adulthood, development tasks only revolve around the consolidation of one’s identity and the formulation of a personal value system, but they also relate to interactions with others. Young adulthood is a time for establishing the capacity for true intimacy and learning to give and receive affection in a mature and meaningful way. For the majority, emotional intimacy is eventually pursued in the marriage context. As part of sexual adjustment, marriage partners must build and maintain mutually satisfying and rewarding sexual relations. Haeberle (1989) charges that in our society youths “are raised on a steady diet of sexual shame and guilt until some magic ceremony supposedly transforms them into passionate, sensors and satisfied husbands and wives” unfortunately in real life this one does not always happen. Positive sexual adjustment is related to acceptance of our sexuality and is based on healthy attitudes developed earlier in life. Reference Levinson, D. et al. (1976). Periods in Adult Development of Men: Ages 18 To 45. Counselling psychologist, 6, 21-25 Troll L. (1975). Early And Middle Adulthood, Monterey: Ca.books, p.216-248 Haeberle, E. (1989).The Sex Atlas. New York: Seabury Press, p.41-124 Laurence, D. (1991).The Life Cycle, New York: Columbia University Press, Erikson, E. (1968). Identity; Youth and Crisis, New York: W.W. Norton and Company, p.250-290 Freiberg, K. (1989).Human Development, a Lifespan Approach. Monterey: Calif, p.87-98 Rogers, C.R. (1992).Becoming Partners; Marriage and Its Alternatives, New York: Dell, p.34-67 Salkind, N. (1999).Theories Of Human Development, New York: D.Van Nostrand, p.57-111 Whitbourne, S.K. (1986). Adult Development, New York: Praeger, p.156-185 Read More