Human Development Chapters

Chapter 14 Young Adulthood Social, Emotional, and Career

Development Young adulthood is a developmental period that marks the transition from adolescence to adulthood. In young adulthood, many of the identity issues individuals faced as adolescents have been resolved. Therefore, young adults are able to invest in establishing intimate relationships with partners, friends, and family, and achieve the developmental milestones often associated with this developmental period (e.g., starting a family, managing a home). During young adulthood, significant energy is also invested into selecting and starting a career, achieving job satisfaction, and striving for work–life balance. The achievement of such tasks ushers in a variety of social/emotional and career development changes.

According to Havighurst (1952), successful adaptation to adulthood involves completing a series of developmental tasks in young adulthood. Such tasks often include selection of a mate, learning to live with a partner, starting a family, raising children, managing a home, starting an occupation, and assuming civic responsibilities. Successful development depends on both completion and timing of these tasks. Individuals who are off time with regard to the social clock may experience difficulty in their developmental trajectory due to the negative consequences associated with going against the societal norms that dictate the age by which certain life events should occur.

One of the major developmental tasks of young adulthood involves the establishment of intimate relationships. Erik Erikson (1963) asserted that the establishment of intimate relationships involves having a genuine concern for another’s needs and a willingness to sacrifice one’s own needs at certain times. Individuals who fail to form intimate relationships risk becoming socially isolated. Young adulthood encompasses the establishment of both friendships and long-term, romantic relationships. According to Sternberg (1986), long-term relationships are sustained by consummate love. Consummate love involves passion, intimacy, and commitment. Our ability to

form and sustain intimate relationships is also dependent on attachment styles. Adult attachment styles are influenced by early relationships with primary caregivers and reflect the degree to which adults avoid intimacy and being dependent on others, and experience anxiety about being rejected or abandoned by others (Fraley & Shaver, 2000).

Levinson (1986), like Erikson, believed that changes to an individual’s life structure occur as the person encounters the key developmental tasks of young adulthood. Young adulthood, according to Levinson, is characterized by exploration, opportunity, and the accomplishment of financial independence, marriage, parenthood, and starting a career. While young adulthood is generally viewed as a time when opportunity and optimism abound, the occurrence of psychological disorders actually increases. This spike in mental illness may be attributed to the many developmental tasks and life demands that young adults face.

Young adults today experience more freedom and flexibility with regard to their lifestyle and vocational choices. The number of single young adults has increased sharply in recent years. Likewise, cohabitation rates are also increasing dramatically, as many young adults choose to live with a sexual partner outside of marriage. Marriage rates in young adulthood have declined, as many young adults prefer to establish themselves in a career and achieve financial independence before settling down. Similarly, young adults are choosing to have fewer children and start a family later in life.

In addition to forming intimate relationships, finding a partner, and starting a family, young adults devote much of their time to choosing and establishing a career. The career development process in young adulthood often begins with the selection of a career. Individuals must gain knowledge about themselves and the world of work in order to make a career decision that will lead to long-term satisfaction. Young adults spend time exploring their vocational interests, abilities, values, and occupational characteristics. They must also learn to take advantage of unplanned social, educational, and occupational events in order to create vocational opportunities for

themselves. In addition to career exploration, young adults invest in vocational preparation opportunities to prepare for their future careers. Most high school graduates will attend two- or four-year academic institutions, but young adults can also pursue training through vocational education or school-to-work programs. Young adults not only choose a career and receive vocational training, but also must make the transition to the workforce. A successful transition to the workforce involves achieving job satisfaction and developing a vocational identity. As individuals transition to the workforce and establish their career, they may experience conflict between work and family obligations. Young adults often strive to find a balance between work demands and family responsibilities.