Early adulthood
Physical development
In early adulthood, the rapid growth of youth has well and truly finished and people have taken on adult body proportions. Early adulthood is usually the stage of the lifespan where people are able to perform physically at their best. Young adults have good strength and coordination skills (including fine motor skills), and quick reaction times. The senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch are at their best, and people are at their sexual peak. It is also the period during which many people become parents. For women who choose to have children, motherhood and giving birth to a child is a very significant aspect of their physical development. Early adulthood includes the time when women’s bodies are best able to conceive and carry a healthy baby to full term. By the late twenties and early thirties however, these peak abilities begin to diminish.
Intellectual development
The intellectual development of individuals during early adulthood is sometimes called the ‘achieving and responsibility stage’. People apply their intelligence to situations such as career development and understanding the needs of a partner and children. Young adults embarking on their careers begin to take on some level of responsibility for others at work and within their community. Developing intellectual maturity allows them to become aware of others’ differing opinions and to understand that others are entitled to their opinions, even when they differ from their own.
Emotional development
During the early adulthood stage, there are many responsibilities which adults undertake and there are therefore large ranges of emotions which can be felt by individuals such as anxiety, depression and stress. Common causes of anxiety for adults are concern about finances, such as the ability to pay rent or mortgage repayments; angst about relationships and work-related stress.
Social development
For younger adults, social interaction is often based around the friends and relationships that are made during the final years of school, while studying at university or TAFE and during part-time or full-time work. As young adults date and form more intimate relationships, their social life may include activities for couples only or outings where family members are introduced to the partner.
