adulthood essay introduction

Presentations made painless

• Get Premium

107 Adulthood Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

When it comes to writing an essay about adulthood, there are countless topics to choose from. Adulthood is a phase of life that presents various challenges, experiences, and opportunities for personal growth. Whether you want to explore the responsibilities of adulthood, discuss the transition from adolescence to adulthood, or analyze the impact of societal expectations, here are 107 topic ideas and examples to inspire your essay:

The concept of adulthood in different cultures.

The importance of financial literacy in adulthood.

Balancing responsibilities: work, family, and personal life.

The impact of social media on adult relationships.

The challenges of making new friends in adulthood.

The role of education in shaping adult perspectives.

The impact of childhood experiences on adult mental health.

The influence of parents on adult decision-making.

The significance of self-reflection in adult personal development.

The importance of setting goals in adulthood.

The impact of technology on the modern adult lifestyle.

The challenges of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

The role of resilience in overcoming adult challenges.

The impact of societal expectations on adult happiness.

The challenges of maintaining physical health in adulthood.

The role of hobbies and interests in adult well-being.

The impact of societal norms on adult relationships.

The challenges of finding meaning and purpose in adulthood.

The role of spirituality in adult well-being.

The impact of cultural background on adult identity.

The challenges of navigating romantic relationships in adulthood.

The role of communication in maintaining adult friendships.

The impact of societal pressure to conform in adulthood.

The challenges of dealing with loss and grief in adulthood.

The significance of self-care in adult mental health.

The impact of work-related stress on adult well-being.

The challenges of maintaining a healthy lifestyle in adulthood.

The role of mentorship in adult professional growth.

The impact of societal expectations on adult career choices.

The challenges of managing time effectively in adulthood.

The significance of emotional intelligence in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural diversity on adult perspectives.

The challenges of maintaining romantic relationships in adulthood.

The role of self-confidence in adult success.

The impact of societal beauty standards on adult self-esteem.

The challenges of finding work-life balance in a globalized world.

The significance of adaptability in adult career development.

The impact of childhood trauma on adult relationships.

The challenges of making ethical decisions in adulthood.

The role of forgiveness in adult personal growth.

The impact of technology on adult mental health.

The challenges of navigating parenthood in adulthood.

The significance of self-compassion in adult well-being.

The impact of societal expectations on adult body image.

The challenges of managing finances in adulthood.

The role of empathy in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural stereotypes on adult identity.

The challenges of finding work-life balance in a demanding career.

The significance of lifelong learning in adult personal development.

The impact of societal pressure to conform to gender roles in adulthood.

The challenges of maintaining healthy boundaries in adult relationships.

The role of self-awareness in adult decision-making.

The impact of societal expectations on adult mental health.

The challenges of finding purpose in a fast-paced adult life.

The significance of community involvement in adult well-being.

The impact of societal expectations on adult marriage choices.

The challenges of managing stress in adulthood.

The role of optimism in adult resilience.

The impact of cultural assimilation on adult identity.

The challenges of maintaining work-life balance in a competitive profession.

The significance of gratitude in adult happiness.

The impact of societal pressure to conform to a certain lifestyle in adulthood.

The challenges of managing personal and professional relationships in adulthood.

The role of self-acceptance in adult self-esteem.

The impact of cultural appropriation on adult identity.

The challenges of finding meaning in a materialistic adult world.

The significance of social support in adult well-being.

The impact of societal expectations on adult parental choices.

The challenges of maintaining mental health in a high-stress adult environment.

The role of vulnerability in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural heritage on adult identity.

The challenges of workaholism in adulthood.

The significance of self-motivation in adult success.

The impact of societal pressure to conform to societal norms in adulthood.

The challenges of managing work-life balance in a technology-driven world.

The role of gratitude in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural diversity on adult identity formation.

The challenges of finding fulfillment in adult life.

The significance of social connections in adult well-being.

The impact of societal expectations on adult friendship choices.

The challenges of maintaining mental well-being in a fast-paced adult society.

The role of authenticity in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural values on adult identity.

The challenges of finding work-life balance in a demanding entrepreneurial career.

The significance of mindfulness in adult happiness.

The impact of societal pressure to conform to societal beauty standards in adulthood.

The challenges of managing time and energy in adulthood.

The role of trust in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural traditions on adult identity.

The challenges of finding purpose in a materialistic adult culture.

The significance of self-reflection in adult happiness.

The impact of societal expectations on adult career progression.

The challenges of maintaining mental health in a competitive adult environment.

The role of emotional support in adult relationships.

The impact of cultural assimilation on adult identity formation.

The challenges of finding work-life balance in a demanding corporate career.

The significance of self-discipline in adult success.

The impact of societal pressure to conform to societal norms on adult decision-making.

The challenges of managing personal and professional boundaries in adulthood.

The role of empathy in adult mental well-being.

The impact of cultural heritage on adult identity development.

The challenges of finding fulfillment in a consumer-driven adult society.

The significance of social engagement in adult happiness.

The impact of societal expectations on adult relationship choices.

The challenges of maintaining mental well-being in an ever-connected adult world.

The role of vulnerability in adult personal growth.

The impact of cultural diversity on adult identity exploration.

These 107 adulthood essay topic ideas provide a wide range of options to explore the complexities, challenges, and joys of this phase of life. Choose a topic that resonates with you and allows you to delve into a subject that interests you the most. Remember to conduct thorough research, provide examples and evidence, and present a well-structured argument to make your essay compelling and thought-provoking. Happy writing!

Want to create a presentation now?

Instantly Create A Deck

Let PitchGrade do this for me

Hassle Free

We will create your text and designs for you. Sit back and relax while we do the work.

Explore More Content

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Service

© 2023 Pitchgrade

• Search Menu
• Browse content in Arts and Humanities
• Browse content in Archaeology
• Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Archaeology
• Archaeological Methodology and Techniques
• Archaeology by Region
• Archaeology of Religion
• Archaeology of Trade and Exchange
• Biblical Archaeology
• Contemporary and Public Archaeology
• Environmental Archaeology
• Historical Archaeology
• History and Theory of Archaeology
• Industrial Archaeology
• Landscape Archaeology
• Mortuary Archaeology
• Prehistoric Archaeology
• Underwater Archaeology
• Urban Archaeology
• Zooarchaeology
• Browse content in Architecture
• Architectural Structure and Design
• History of Architecture
• Residential and Domestic Buildings
• Theory of Architecture
• Browse content in Art
• Art Subjects and Themes
• History of Art
• Industrial and Commercial Art
• Theory of Art
• Biographical Studies
• Byzantine Studies
• Browse content in Classical Studies
• Classical History
• Classical Philosophy
• Classical Mythology
• Classical Literature
• Classical Reception
• Classical Art and Architecture
• Classical Oratory and Rhetoric
• Greek and Roman Papyrology
• Greek and Roman Epigraphy
• Greek and Roman Law
• Greek and Roman Archaeology
• Late Antiquity
• Religion in the Ancient World
• Digital Humanities
• Browse content in History
• Colonialism and Imperialism
• Diplomatic History
• Environmental History
• Genealogy, Heraldry, Names, and Honours
• Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing
• Historical Geography
• History by Period
• History of Emotions
• History of Agriculture
• History of Education
• History of Gender and Sexuality
• Industrial History
• Intellectual History
• International History
• Labour History
• Legal and Constitutional History
• Local and Family History
• Maritime History
• Military History
• National Liberation and Post-Colonialism
• Oral History
• Political History
• Public History
• Regional and National History
• Revolutions and Rebellions
• Slavery and Abolition of Slavery
• Social and Cultural History
• Theory, Methods, and Historiography
• Urban History
• World History
• Browse content in Language Teaching and Learning
• Language Learning (Specific Skills)
• Language Teaching Theory and Methods
• Browse content in Linguistics
• Applied Linguistics
• Cognitive Linguistics
• Computational Linguistics
• Forensic Linguistics
• Grammar, Syntax and Morphology
• Historical and Diachronic Linguistics
• History of English
• Language Evolution
• Language Reference
• Language Acquisition
• Language Variation
• Language Families
• Lexicography
• Linguistic Anthropology
• Linguistic Theories
• Linguistic Typology
• Phonetics and Phonology
• Psycholinguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Translation and Interpretation
• Writing Systems
• Browse content in Literature
• Bibliography
• Children's Literature Studies
• Literary Studies (Romanticism)
• Literary Studies (American)
• Literary Studies (Asian)
• Literary Studies (European)
• Literary Studies (Eco-criticism)
• Literary Studies (Modernism)
• Literary Studies - World
• Literary Studies (1500 to 1800)
• Literary Studies (19th Century)
• Literary Studies (20th Century onwards)
• Literary Studies (African American Literature)
• Literary Studies (British and Irish)
• Literary Studies (Early and Medieval)
• Literary Studies (Fiction, Novelists, and Prose Writers)
• Literary Studies (Gender Studies)
• Literary Studies (Graphic Novels)
• Literary Studies (History of the Book)
• Literary Studies (Plays and Playwrights)
• Literary Studies (Poetry and Poets)
• Literary Studies (Postcolonial Literature)
• Literary Studies (Queer Studies)
• Literary Studies (Science Fiction)
• Literary Studies (Travel Literature)
• Literary Studies (War Literature)
• Literary Studies (Women's Writing)
• Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
• Mythology and Folklore
• Shakespeare Studies and Criticism
• Browse content in Media Studies
• Browse content in Music
• Applied Music
• Dance and Music
• Ethics in Music
• Ethnomusicology
• Gender and Sexuality in Music
• Medicine and Music
• Music Cultures
• Music and Media
• Music and Religion
• Music and Culture
• Music Education and Pedagogy
• Music Theory and Analysis
• Musical Scores, Lyrics, and Libretti
• Musical Structures, Styles, and Techniques
• Musicology and Music History
• Performance Practice and Studies
• Race and Ethnicity in Music
• Sound Studies
• Browse content in Performing Arts
• Browse content in Philosophy
• Aesthetics and Philosophy of Art
• Epistemology
• Feminist Philosophy
• History of Western Philosophy
• Metaphysics
• Moral Philosophy
• Non-Western Philosophy
• Philosophy of Language
• Philosophy of Mind
• Philosophy of Perception
• Philosophy of Science
• Philosophy of Action
• Philosophy of Law
• Philosophy of Religion
• Philosophy of Mathematics and Logic
• Practical Ethics
• Social and Political Philosophy
• Browse content in Religion
• Biblical Studies
• Christianity
• East Asian Religions
• History of Religion
• Judaism and Jewish Studies
• Qumran Studies
• Religion and Education
• Religion and Health
• Religion and Politics
• Religion and Science
• Religion and Law
• Religion and Art, Literature, and Music
• Religious Studies
• Browse content in Society and Culture
• Cookery, Food, and Drink
• Cultural Studies
• Customs and Traditions
• Ethical Issues and Debates
• Hobbies, Games, Arts and Crafts
• Lifestyle, Home, and Garden
• Natural world, Country Life, and Pets
• Popular Beliefs and Controversial Knowledge
• Sports and Outdoor Recreation
• Technology and Society
• Travel and Holiday
• Visual Culture
• Browse content in Law
• Arbitration
• Browse content in Company and Commercial Law
• Commercial Law
• Company Law
• Browse content in Comparative Law
• Systems of Law
• Competition Law
• Browse content in Constitutional and Administrative Law
• Government Powers
• Judicial Review
• Local Government Law
• Military and Defence Law
• Parliamentary and Legislative Practice
• Construction Law
• Contract Law
• Browse content in Criminal Law
• Criminal Procedure
• Criminal Evidence Law
• Sentencing and Punishment
• Employment and Labour Law
• Environment and Energy Law
• Browse content in Financial Law
• Banking Law
• Insolvency Law
• History of Law
• Human Rights and Immigration
• Intellectual Property Law
• Browse content in International Law
• Private International Law and Conflict of Laws
• Public International Law
• IT and Communications Law
• Jurisprudence and Philosophy of Law
• Law and Politics
• Law and Society
• Browse content in Legal System and Practice
• Courts and Procedure
• Legal Skills and Practice
• Primary Sources of Law
• Regulation of Legal Profession
• Medical and Healthcare Law
• Browse content in Policing
• Criminal Investigation and Detection
• Police and Security Services
• Police Procedure and Law
• Police Regional Planning
• Browse content in Property Law
• Personal Property Law
• Study and Revision
• Terrorism and National Security Law
• Browse content in Trusts Law
• Wills and Probate or Succession
• Browse content in Medicine and Health
• Browse content in Allied Health Professions
• Arts Therapies
• Clinical Science
• Dietetics and Nutrition
• Occupational Therapy
• Operating Department Practice
• Physiotherapy
• Radiography
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Browse content in Anaesthetics
• General Anaesthesia
• Neuroanaesthesia
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Browse content in Clinical Medicine
• Acute Medicine
• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Clinical Genetics
• Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
• Dermatology
• Endocrinology and Diabetes
• Gastroenterology
• Genito-urinary Medicine
• Geriatric Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Toxicology
• Medical Oncology
• Pain Medicine
• Palliative Medicine
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine and Pulmonology
• Rheumatology
• Sleep Medicine
• Sports and Exercise Medicine
• Community Medical Services
• Critical Care
• Emergency Medicine
• Forensic Medicine
• Haematology
• History of Medicine
• Browse content in Medical Skills
• Clinical Skills
• Communication Skills
• Nursing Skills
• Surgical Skills
• Browse content in Medical Dentistry
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Paediatric Dentistry
• Restorative Dentistry and Orthodontics
• Surgical Dentistry
• Medical Ethics
• Medical Statistics and Methodology
• Browse content in Neurology
• Clinical Neurophysiology
• Neuropathology
• Nursing Studies
• Browse content in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
• Gynaecology
• Occupational Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Otolaryngology (ENT)
• Browse content in Paediatrics
• Neonatology
• Browse content in Pathology
• Chemical Pathology
• Clinical Cytogenetics and Molecular Genetics
• Histopathology
• Medical Microbiology and Virology
• Patient Education and Information
• Browse content in Pharmacology
• Psychopharmacology
• Browse content in Popular Health
• Caring for Others
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Self-help and Personal Development
• Browse content in Preclinical Medicine
• Cell Biology
• Molecular Biology and Genetics
• Reproduction, Growth and Development
• Primary Care
• Professional Development in Medicine
• Browse content in Psychiatry
• Addiction Medicine
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Learning Disabilities
• Old Age Psychiatry
• Psychotherapy
• Browse content in Public Health and Epidemiology
• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Browse content in Radiology
• Clinical Radiology
• Interventional Radiology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Radiation Oncology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Browse content in Surgery
• Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Gastro-intestinal and Colorectal Surgery
• General Surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Paediatric Surgery
• Peri-operative Care
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Transplant Surgery
• Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Browse content in Science and Mathematics
• Browse content in Biological Sciences
• Aquatic Biology
• Biochemistry
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Ecology and Conservation
• Evolutionary Biology
• Genetics and Genomics
• Microbiology
• Molecular and Cell Biology
• Natural History
• Plant Sciences and Forestry
• Research Methods in Life Sciences
• Structural Biology
• Systems Biology
• Zoology and Animal Sciences
• Browse content in Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Computational Chemistry
• Crystallography
• Environmental Chemistry
• Industrial Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Materials Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Mineralogy and Gems
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry
• Study and Communication Skills in Chemistry
• Theoretical Chemistry
• Browse content in Computer Science
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Architecture and Logic Design
• Game Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Mathematical Theory of Computation
• Programming Languages
• Software Engineering
• Systems Analysis and Design
• Virtual Reality
• Browse content in Computing
• Business Applications
• Computer Security
• Computer Games
• Computer Networking and Communications
• Digital Lifestyle
• Graphical and Digital Media Applications
• Operating Systems
• Browse content in Earth Sciences and Geography
• Atmospheric Sciences
• Environmental Geography
• Geology and the Lithosphere
• Maps and Map-making
• Meteorology and Climatology
• Oceanography and Hydrology
• Palaeontology
• Physical Geography and Topography
• Regional Geography
• Soil Science
• Urban Geography
• Browse content in Engineering and Technology
• Agriculture and Farming
• Biological Engineering
• Civil Engineering, Surveying, and Building
• Electronics and Communications Engineering
• Energy Technology
• Engineering (General)
• Environmental Science, Engineering, and Technology
• History of Engineering and Technology
• Mechanical Engineering and Materials
• Technology of Industrial Chemistry
• Transport Technology and Trades
• Browse content in Environmental Science
• Applied Ecology (Environmental Science)
• Conservation of the Environment (Environmental Science)
• Environmental Sustainability
• Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Environmental Science)
• Management of Land and Natural Resources (Environmental Science)
• Natural Disasters (Environmental Science)
• Nuclear Issues (Environmental Science)
• Pollution and Threats to the Environment (Environmental Science)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Environmental Science)
• History of Science and Technology
• Browse content in Materials Science
• Ceramics and Glasses
• Composite Materials
• Metals, Alloying, and Corrosion
• Nanotechnology
• Browse content in Mathematics
• Applied Mathematics
• Biomathematics and Statistics
• History of Mathematics
• Mathematical Education
• Mathematical Finance
• Mathematical Analysis
• Numerical and Computational Mathematics
• Probability and Statistics
• Pure Mathematics
• Browse content in Neuroscience
• Cognition and Behavioural Neuroscience
• Development of the Nervous System
• Disorders of the Nervous System
• History of Neuroscience
• Invertebrate Neurobiology
• Molecular and Cellular Systems
• Neuroendocrinology and Autonomic Nervous System
• Neuroscientific Techniques
• Sensory and Motor Systems
• Browse content in Physics
• Astronomy and Astrophysics
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Biological and Medical Physics
• Classical Mechanics
• Computational Physics
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Electromagnetism, Optics, and Acoustics
• History of Physics
• Mathematical and Statistical Physics
• Measurement Science
• Nuclear Physics
• Particles and Fields
• Plasma Physics
• Quantum Physics
• Relativity and Gravitation
• Semiconductor and Mesoscopic Physics
• Browse content in Psychology
• Affective Sciences
• Clinical Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Criminal and Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Health Psychology
• History and Systems in Psychology
• Music Psychology
• Neuropsychology
• Organizational Psychology
• Psychological Assessment and Testing
• Psychology of Human-Technology Interaction
• Psychology Professional Development and Training
• Research Methods in Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Browse content in Social Sciences
• Browse content in Anthropology
• Anthropology of Religion
• Human Evolution
• Medical Anthropology
• Physical Anthropology
• Regional Anthropology
• Social and Cultural Anthropology
• Theory and Practice of Anthropology
• Browse content in Business and Management
• Business Ethics
• Business Strategy
• Business History
• Business and Technology
• Business and Government
• Business and the Environment
• Comparative Management
• Corporate Governance
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Entrepreneurship
• Health Management
• Human Resource Management
• Industrial and Employment Relations
• Industry Studies
• Information and Communication Technologies
• International Business
• Knowledge Management
• Management and Management Techniques
• Operations Management
• Organizational Theory and Behaviour
• Pensions and Pension Management
• Public and Nonprofit Management
• Strategic Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Browse content in Criminology and Criminal Justice
• Criminal Justice
• Criminology
• Forms of Crime
• International and Comparative Criminology
• Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice
• Development Studies
• Browse content in Economics
• Agricultural, Environmental, and Natural Resource Economics
• Asian Economics
• Behavioural Finance
• Behavioural Economics and Neuroeconomics
• Econometrics and Mathematical Economics
• Economic History
• Economic Systems
• Economic Methodology
• Economic Development and Growth
• Financial Markets
• Financial Institutions and Services
• General Economics and Teaching
• Health, Education, and Welfare
• History of Economic Thought
• International Economics
• Labour and Demographic Economics
• Law and Economics
• Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
• Microeconomics
• Public Economics
• Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
• Welfare Economics
• Browse content in Education
• Adult Education and Continuous Learning
• Care and Counselling of Students
• Early Childhood and Elementary Education
• Educational Equipment and Technology
• Educational Strategies and Policy
• Higher and Further Education
• Organization and Management of Education
• Philosophy and Theory of Education
• Schools Studies
• Secondary Education
• Teaching of a Specific Subject
• Teaching of Specific Groups and Special Educational Needs
• Teaching Skills and Techniques
• Browse content in Environment
• Applied Ecology (Social Science)
• Climate Change
• Conservation of the Environment (Social Science)
• Environmentalist Thought and Ideology (Social Science)
• Natural Disasters (Environment)
• Social Impact of Environmental Issues (Social Science)
• Browse content in Human Geography
• Cultural Geography
• Economic Geography
• Political Geography
• Browse content in Interdisciplinary Studies
• Communication Studies
• Museums, Libraries, and Information Sciences
• Browse content in Politics
• African Politics
• Asian Politics
• Chinese Politics
• Comparative Politics
• Conflict Politics
• Elections and Electoral Studies
• Environmental Politics
• European Union
• Foreign Policy
• Gender and Politics
• Human Rights and Politics
• Indian Politics
• International Relations
• International Organization (Politics)
• International Political Economy
• Irish Politics
• Latin American Politics
• Middle Eastern Politics
• Political Behaviour
• Political Economy
• Political Institutions
• Political Methodology
• Political Communication
• Political Philosophy
• Political Sociology
• Political Theory
• Politics and Law
• Politics of Development
• Public Policy
• Public Administration
• Quantitative Political Methodology
• Regional Political Studies
• Russian Politics
• Security Studies
• State and Local Government
• UK Politics
• US Politics
• Browse content in Regional and Area Studies
• African Studies
• Asian Studies
• East Asian Studies
• Japanese Studies
• Latin American Studies
• Middle Eastern Studies
• Native American Studies
• Scottish Studies
• Browse content in Research and Information
• Research Methods
• Browse content in Social Work
• Addictions and Substance Misuse
• Adoption and Fostering
• Care of the Elderly
• Child and Adolescent Social Work
• Couple and Family Social Work
• Developmental and Physical Disabilities Social Work
• Direct Practice and Clinical Social Work
• Emergency Services
• Human Behaviour and the Social Environment
• International and Global Issues in Social Work
• Mental and Behavioural Health
• Social Justice and Human Rights
• Social Policy and Advocacy
• Social Work and Crime and Justice
• Social Work Macro Practice
• Social Work Practice Settings
• Social Work Research and Evidence-based Practice
• Welfare and Benefit Systems
• Browse content in Sociology
• Childhood Studies
• Community Development
• Comparative and Historical Sociology
• Economic Sociology
• Gender and Sexuality
• Gerontology and Ageing
• Health, Illness, and Medicine
• Marriage and the Family
• Migration Studies
• Occupations, Professions, and Work
• Organizations
• Population and Demography
• Race and Ethnicity
• Social Theory
• Social Movements and Social Change
• Social Research and Statistics
• Social Stratification, Inequality, and Mobility
• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Education
• Sport and Leisure
• Urban and Rural Studies
• Browse content in Warfare and Defence
• Defence Strategy, Planning, and Research
• Land Forces and Warfare
• Military Administration
• Military Life and Institutions
• Naval Forces and Warfare
• Other Warfare and Defence Issues
• Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
• Weapons and Equipment

• < Previous chapter
• Next chapter >

Emerging Adult Essay: Life Moving Forward: A Personal Perspective on Transitioning Into Adulthood

• Published: May 2017
• Cite Icon Cite
• Permissions Icon Permissions

Throughout life, transitions can create some of the most daunting experiences anyone will encounter. Leaving school, finding a job, moving out on your own, finding someone to share your life with—these all constitute life transitions and events that force everyone to look outside of their comfort zone to formulate a solution. Everyone dreads the change, but we all must face it head-on and accept the challenge of something different. For people with disabilities these changes may be overwhelming and, at times, debilitating. The key to success while transitioning is having attained the proper skill set to help overcome whatever transitional barrier(s) your particular disability mandates.

I am a 25-year-old male who was born and raised in Virginia. I am someone who, I hope and believe, has successfully transitioned to adulthood, though not without both ups and downs. Because I was born with cerebral palsy (CP), I use a power wheelchair to help me get around and accomplish daily tasks. I graduated from college in the fall of 2013. There I created my own disability advocacy degree under the interdisciplinary studies major titled “Advocacy for Social Justice.” I also majored in sociology and have a minor in psychology. Some of my hobbies include hanging out with friends and family, watching sports of all kinds, and working with individuals with disabilities. Until recently, when I opened my consulting business, I never held a full-time job, having only interned at all of my employment experiences. These internships include two federal and one state government entity and a disability resource center. Additionally, I have worked on a congressional campaign. I hope my experiences help to motivate you, whether you’re a student or a teacher reading this essay, to take control of your transition process or to help someone effectively transition to adulthood.

Signed in as

Institutional accounts.

• GoogleCrawler [DO NOT DELETE]
• Google Scholar Indexing

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code
• Add your ORCID iD

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card.

• Sign in with username/password
• Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Sign in through your institution

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.

• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Lifestyle & Interests — Adulthood

Adulthood Essays

Similarities between childhood and adulthood, when do kids become adults, made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Nurturing Maturity: The Challenges and Rewards of Adulthood

From childhood to adulthood: emotional and physical changes, the behavioral psychology of early and middle adulthood, stepping into adulthood: how to make some money at 15, let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Discussion on My Transition from Childhood to Adulthood

Differencies and similarities between childhood vs adulthood, teen films and the transitioning from adolescence to adulthood, how childhood traumatic experiences affect mental health problems in adulthood, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

The System of Rites of Passage to Adulthood

Depiction of the coming of age in "the adventures of tom sawyer" by mark twain, charlotte bronte's description of maturity as illustrated in her book "jane eyre", study on the usage of the internet in the life of an adult, evaluation on the decision on the life choice of having children or not, anthony burgess's "a clockwork orange" as coming of age narrative, analysis of huck finn’s coming of age, coming of age in the "life of pi" by yann martel, transition from adolescence to adulthood, when do we become adults, transition from childhood to adulthood in a family, how my transition to adulthood changed my life, the aging process: physical, psychological, and social changes, early adulthood and personality development, relevant topics.

• Healthy Lifestyle
• Reading Books

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Bibliography

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Development Stage: Early Adulthood

Introduction.

Early adulthood is one of the age-related stages of life, considering people in the age of twenty to forty. The phase is characterized by the individuals transiting from late adolescence who are determined to have a well-defined identity and lead a responsible life. They engage in various developmental tasks, including establishing personality, achievement of autonomy, and becoming a part of a community. This essay describes the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of people in early adulthood, as well as the theories and personal experiences related to the stage.

Social and Emotional Development in Early Adulthood

The social and emotional changes in this phase of life involve intimacy and establishing one’s identity. Men and women develop the thoughts and feelings of committing to an intimate partner. Their self-esteem becomes positive because of being loved and affectionate to others (Overstreet, 2019). They develop flexible and self-regulatory emotional coping strategies and skills to resolve conflicts. Peer influence and incidences of conflicts with parents decline significantly (Overstreet, 2019). Further, people commit to social groups and have positive feelings about their membership, and integrate spiritual or religious beliefs into their identity. Indeed, social and emotional changes in early adulthood facilitate the formation and maintenance of relationships.

Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Adulthood

In early adulthood, physiological development is characterized by various aspects, such as enhanced motor performance, increased reproductive capacity, and better health and fitness. People at this stage have increased strength and the ability to act and move their body muscles. Additionally, their reproductive capacity peaks, with men and women becoming more sexually responsive, which leads to a healthy life minimizing their risks for illnesses (Overstreet, 2019). However, they have lower immune systems and engage in substance abuse behaviors, which may contribute to psychological problems and other health conditions. Cognitive development involves the way persons aged twenty to forty years think and make decisions. Thoughts become more practical, realistic, and individualistic, with the necessity or prior experience influencing the decision-making process. Thinking also becomes more flexible and balanced, allowing people to integrate salient aspects of opposing perspectives. Undeniably, the physical and cognitive changes in early adulthood enhance the way individuals at this state approach things.

Trends and Theories

Major trends in early adulthood are related to dating, marriage, and cohabiting. Courting has become more diversified and flexible, particularly because of social media. Most young adults live together and engage in a romantic relationship, even when they are not married, and delay assuming adult roles and responsibilities. The concepts which explain early adulthood include Erikson’s theory, which compares intimacy and isolation, and Levinson’s theory, dividing the stage into four phases (17-22, 22-28, 28-33, and 33-40 years) (Overstreet, 2019). The two theories help understand the changes which happen in early adulthood. Indeed, the treads and theories explain important factors which characterize early adulthood.

Personal Experience and the Benefits of Early Adulthood’s Knowledge

My experience at this stage is positive because I have developed social skills, which facilitate effective forming and maintaining of relationships. Friends’ opinions have an insignificant influence on my decision-making process. Additionally, I have become more practical and developed a desire to commit to an intimate relationship and become a part of certain social groups. The acquired knowledge will help provide evidence-based services to the patients at this life-developmental stage. For instance, it will facilitate a better understanding of the causes of mental disorders, such as stress and depression, and provide appropriate interventions. Notably, the individuals at this phase of life are prone to psychological illnesses because of failed relationships, exams, or unsuccessful job-hunting.

To sum up, early adulthood is one of the developmental stages characterized by persons aged between twenty and forty years. Social and emotional changes in this phase allow people to form and sustain relationships. Physical and cognitive growth are at their peak at this stage. People have increased motor ability and reproductive capacity, and their thoughts become practical and realistic. The knowledge about early adulthood will facilitate the provision of evidence-based nursing services.

Overstreet, L. (2019). Human development life span . Western Washington University.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2022, May 16). Development Stage: Early Adulthood. https://studycorgi.com/development-stage-early-adulthood/

"Development Stage: Early Adulthood." StudyCorgi , 16 May 2022, studycorgi.com/development-stage-early-adulthood/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) 'Development Stage: Early Adulthood'. 16 May.

1. StudyCorgi . "Development Stage: Early Adulthood." May 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/development-stage-early-adulthood/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "Development Stage: Early Adulthood." May 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/development-stage-early-adulthood/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "Development Stage: Early Adulthood." May 16, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/development-stage-early-adulthood/.

This paper, “Development Stage: Early Adulthood”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: November 11, 2023 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)
• How to Paraphrase Research Papers Effectively
• How to Cite Social Media Sources in Academic Writing? 
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?

Similarity Checks: The Author’s Guide to Plagiarism and Responsible Writing

Types of plagiarism and 6 tips to avoid it in your writing , you may also like, how to write a high-quality conference paper, how paperpal’s research feature helps you develop and..., how paperpal is enhancing academic productivity and accelerating..., academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., 4 ways paperpal encourages responsible writing with ai, what are scholarly sources and where can you..., how to write a hypothesis types and examples , what is academic writing: tips for students, what is hedging in academic writing  , how to use ai to enhance your college....

Lifespan Development

Learning objectives.

• Describe physical, cognitive, and emotional development that occurs in adulthood
• Differentiate between fluid and crystallized intelligence

Adulthood begins around 20 years old and has three distinct stages: early, middle, and late. Each stage brings its own set of rewards and challenges.

Physical Development

Figure 1 . Physical declines of middle and late adulthood can be minimized with proper exercise, nutrition, and an active lifestyle. (credit: modification of work by Peter Stevens)

By the time we reach early adulthood (20 to early 40s), our physical maturation is complete, although our height and weight may increase slightly. In young adulthood, our physical abilities are at their peak, including muscle strength, reaction time, sensory abilities, and cardiac functioning. Most professional athletes are at the top of their game during this stage. Many women have children in the young adulthood years, so they may see additional weight gain and breast changes.

Middle adulthood extends from the 40s to the 60s (Figure 1). Physical decline is gradual. The skin loses some elasticity, and wrinkles are among the first signs of aging. Visual acuity decreases during this time. Women experience a gradual decline in fertility as they approach the onset of menopause, the end of the menstrual cycle, around 50 years old. Both men and women tend to gain weight: in the abdominal area for men and in the hips and thighs for women. Hair begins to thin and turn gray.

Late adulthood is considered to extend from the 60s on. This is the last stage of physical change. The skin continues to lose elasticity, reaction time slows further, and muscle strength diminishes. Smell, taste, hearing, and vision, so sharp in our twenties, decline significantly. The brain may also no longer function at optimal levels, leading to problems like memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease in later years.

Link to Learning

Aging doesn’t mean a person can’t explore new pursuits, learn new skills, and continue to grow. Watch this inspiring story about Neil Unger who is a newbie to the world of skateboarding at 60 years old.

Cognitive Development

Because we spend so many years in adulthood (more than any other stage), cognitive changes are numerous. In fact, research suggests that adult cognitive development is a complex, ever changing process that may be even more active than cognitive development in infancy and early childhood (Fischer, Yan, & Stewart, 2003).

Researchers have identified areas of both losses and gains in cognition in older age. Cognitive ability and intelligence are often measured using standardized tests and validated measures. The psychometric approach has identified two categories of intelligence that show different rates of change across the life span (Schaie & Willis, 1996). Fluid intelligence refers to information processing abilities, such as logical reasoning, remembering lists, spatial ability, and reaction time. Crystallized intelligence encompasses abilities that draw upon experience and knowledge. Measures of crystallized intelligence include vocabulary tests, solving number problems, and understanding texts.

Figure 2 . There are many stereotypes of older adults. They are sometimes seen as slow because of changes in cognitive processing speed. They are though, on average, excellent at drawing on personal experience and knowledge. And they tend to outperform young adults when it comes to social and emotional challenges. [Photo: jessleecuizon]

With age, systematic declines are observed on cognitive tasks requiring self-initiated, effortful processing, without the aid of supportive memory cues (Park, 2000). Older adults tend to perform poorer than young adults on memory tasks that involve recall of information, where individuals must retrieve information they learned previously without the help of a list of possible choices. For example, older adults may have more difficulty recalling facts such as names or contextual details about where or when something happened (Craik, 2000). What might explain these deficits as we age? As we age, working memory, or our ability to simultaneously store and use information, becomes less efficient (Craik & Bialystok, 2006). The ability to process information quickly also decreases with age. This slowing of processing speed may explain age differences on many different cognitive tasks (Salthouse, 2004). Some researchers have argued that inhibitory functioning, or the ability to focus on certain information while suppressing attention to less pertinent information, declines with age and may explain age differences in performance on cognitive tasks (Hasher & Zacks, 1988). Finally, it is well established that our hearing and vision decline as we age. Longitudinal research has proposed that deficits in sensory functioning explain age differences in a variety of cognitive abilities (Baltes & Lindenberger, 1997).

Fewer age differences are observed when memory cues are available, such as for recognition memory tasks, or when individuals can draw upon acquired knowledge or experience. For example, older adults often perform as well if not better than young adults on tests of word knowledge or vocabulary. With age often comes expertise, and research has pointed to areas where aging experts perform as well or better than younger individuals. For example, older typists were found to compensate for age-related declines in speed by looking farther ahead at printed text (Salthouse, 1984). Compared to younger players, older chess experts are able to focus on a smaller set of possible moves, leading to greater cognitive efficiency (Charness, 1981). Accrued knowledge of everyday tasks, such as grocery prices, can help older adults to make better decisions than young adults (Tentori, Osheron, Hasher, & May, 2001).

How do changes or maintenance of cognitive ability affect older adults’ everyday lives? Researchers have studied cognition in the context of several different everyday activities. One example is driving. Although older adults often have more years of driving experience, cognitive declines related to reaction time or attentional processes may pose limitations under certain circumstances (Park & Gutchess, 2000). Research on interpersonal problem solving suggested that older adults use more effective strategies than younger adults to navigate through social and emotional problems (Blanchard-Fields, 2007). In the context of work, researchers rarely find that older individuals perform poorer on the job (Park & Gutchess, 2000). Similar to everyday problem solving, older workers may develop more efficient strategies and rely on expertise to compensate for cognitive decline.

How can we delay the onset of cognitive decline? Mental and physical activity seems to play a part (Figure 2). Research has found adults who engage in mentally and physically stimulating activities experience less cognitive decline and have a reduced incidence of mild cognitive impairment and dementia (Hertzog, Kramer, Wilson, & Lindenberger, 2009; Larson et al., 2006; Podewils et al., 2005).

Figure 3 . Cognitive activities such as playing mahjong, chess, or other games, can keep you mentally fit. The same is true for solo pastimes like reading and completing crossword puzzles. (credit: Philippe Put)

Psychosocial Development

There are many theories about the social and emotional aspects of aging. Some aspects of healthy aging include activities, social connectedness, and the role of a person’s culture. According to many theorists, including George Vaillant (2002), who studied and analyzed over 50 years of data, we need to have and continue to find meaning throughout our lives. For those in early and middle adulthood, meaning is found through work (Sterns & Huyck, 2001) and family life (Markus, Ryff, Curan, & Palmersheim, 2004). These areas relate to the tasks that Erikson referred to as intimacy versus isolation in early adulthood and  generativity versus stagnation  in middle adulthood. As mentioned previously, adults tend to define themselves by what they do—their careers. Earnings peak during this time, yet job satisfaction is more closely tied to work that involves contact with other people, is interesting, provides opportunities for advancement, and allows some independence (Mohr & Zoghi, 2006) than it is to salary (Iyengar, Wells, & Schwartz, 2006). How might being unemployed or being in a dead-end job challenge adult well-being?

Review some of the major changes during late adulthood in the following interactive.

As people enter the final stages of life, they have what Erik Erikson described as a crisis over integrity versus despair. In other words, they review the events of their lives and try to come to terms with the mark (or lack thereof) that they have made on the world. People who believe they have had a positive impact on the world through their contributions live the end of life with a sense of integrity. Those who feel they have not measured up to certain standards—either their own or others’—develop a sense of despair.

Figure 4 . Social support is important as we age. (credit: Gabriel Rocha)

Positive relationships with significant others in our adult years have been found to contribute to a state of well-being (Ryff & Singer, 2009). Most adults in the United States identify themselves through their relationships with family—particularly with spouses, children, and parents (Markus et al., 2004). While raising children can be stressful, especially when they are young, research suggests that parents reap the rewards down the road, as adult children tend to have a positive effect on parental well-being (Umberson, Pudrovska, & Reczek, 2010). Having a stable marriage has also been found to contribute to well-being throughout adulthood (Vaillant, 2002).

Another aspect of positive aging is believed to be social connectedness and social support. As we get older, socioemotional selectivity theory suggests that our social support and friendships dwindle in number, but remain as close, if not more close than in our earlier years (Carstensen, 1992) (Figure 3).

crystallized intelligence : intelligence that draw upon experience and knowledge. Measures include vocabulary tests, solving number problems, and understanding texts fluid intelligence : information processing abilities, such as logical reasoning, remembering lists, spatial ability, and reaction time

• Modification and adaptation, inclusion of tutorial. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Signs of Aging interactive. Authored by : Jessica Traylor for Lumen Learning. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Stages of Development. Authored by : OpenStax College. Located at : https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/9-3-stages-of-development . License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Download for free at https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction
• Section on cognitive development. Authored by : Tara Queen and Jacqui Smith . Provided by : University of Michigan. Located at : http://nobaproject.com/modules/aging . Project : The Noba Project. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Physical Development in Late Adulthood. Provided by : Boundless. Located at : https://www.boundless.com/psychology/textbooks/boundless-psychology-textbook/human-development-14/aging-late-adulthood-412/physical-development-in-late-adulthood-291-12826/ . License : CC BY: Attribution

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write an introduction paragraph in 3 steps.

General Education

It’s the roadmap to your essay, it’s the forecast for your argument, it’s...your introduction paragraph, and writing one can feel pretty intimidating. The introduction paragraph is a part of just about every kind of academic writing , from persuasive essays to research papers. But that doesn’t mean writing one is easy!

If trying to write an intro paragraph makes you feel like a Muggle trying to do magic, trust us: you aren’t alone. But there are some tips and tricks that can make the process easier—and that’s where we come in.

In this article, we’re going to explain how to write a captivating intro paragraph by covering the following info:  

• A discussion of what an introduction paragraph is and its purpose in an essay
• An overview of the most effective introduction paragraph format, with explanations of the three main parts of an intro paragraph
• An analysis of real intro paragraph examples, with a discussion of what works and what doesn’t
• A list of four top tips on how to write an introduction paragraph

Are you ready? Let’s begin!

What Is an Introduction Paragraph? 

An introduction paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay , paper, or other type of academic writing. Argumentative essays , book reports, research papers, and even personal  essays are common types of writing that require an introduction paragraph. Whether you’re writing a research paper for a science course or an argumentative essay for English class , you’re going to have to write an intro paragraph. 

So what’s the purpose of an intro paragraph? As a reader’s first impression of your essay, the intro paragraph should introduce the topic of your paper. 

Your introduction will also state any claims, questions, or issues that your paper will focus on. This is commonly known as your paper’s thesis . This condenses the overall point of your paper into one or two short sentences that your reader can come back and reference later.

But intro paragraphs need to do a bit more than just introduce your topic. An intro paragraph is also supposed to grab your reader’s attention. The intro paragraph is your chance to provide just enough info and intrigue to make your reader say, “Hey, this topic sounds interesting. I think I’ll keep reading this essay!” That can help your essay stand out from the crowd.

In most cases, an intro paragraph will be relatively short. A good intro will be clear, brief, purposeful, and focused. While there are some exceptions to this rule, it’s common for intro paragraphs to consist of three to five sentences . 

Effectively introducing your essay’s topic, purpose, and getting your reader invested in your essay sounds like a lot to ask from one little paragraph, huh? In the next section, we’ll demystify the intro paragraph format by breaking it down into its core parts . When you learn how to approach each part of an intro, writing one won’t seem so scary!

Once you figure out the three parts of an intro paragraph, writing one will be a piece of cake!

The 3 Main Parts of an Intro Paragraph

In general, an intro paragraph is going to have three main parts: a hook, context, and a thesis statement . Each of these pieces of the intro plays a key role in acquainting the reader with the topic and purpose of your essay. 

Below, we’ll explain how to start an introduction paragraph by writing an effective hook, providing context, and crafting a thesis statement. When you put these elements together, you’ll have an intro paragraph that does a great job of making a great first impression on your audience!

Intro Paragraph Part 1: The Hook

When it comes to how to start an introduction paragraph, o ne of the most common approaches is to start with something called a hook. 

What does hook mean here, though? Think of it this way: it’s like when you start a new Netflix series: you look up a few hours (and a few episodes) later and you say, “Whoa. I guess I must be hooked on this show!” 

That’s how the hook is supposed to work in an intro paragrap h: it should get your reader interested enough that they don’t want to press the proverbial “pause” button while they’re reading it . In other words, a hook is designed to grab your reader’s attention and keep them reading your essay! 

This means that the hook comes first in the intro paragraph format—it’ll be the opening sentence of your intro. 

It’s important to realize  that there are many different ways to write a good hook. But generally speaking, hooks must include these two things: what your topic is, and the angle you’re taking on that topic in your essay. 

One approach to writing a hook that works is starting with a general, but interesting, statement on your topic. In this type of hook, you’re trying to provide a broad introduction to your topic and your angle on the topic in an engaging way . 

For example, if you’re writing an essay about the role of the government in the American healthcare system, your hook might look something like this: 

There's a growing movement to require that the federal government provide affordable, effective healthcare for all Americans. 

This hook introduces the essay topic in a broad way (government and healthcare) by presenting a general statement on the topic. But the assumption presented in the hook can also be seen as controversial, which gets readers interested in learning more about what the writer—and the essay—has to say.

In other words, the statement above fulfills the goals of a good hook: it’s intriguing and provides a general introduction to the essay topic.

Intro Paragraph Part 2: Context

Once you’ve provided an attention-grabbing hook, you’ll want to give more context about your essay topic. Context refers to additional details that reveal the specific focus of your paper. So, whereas the hook provides a general introduction to your topic, context starts helping readers understand what exactly you’re going to be writing about

You can include anywhere from one to several sentences of context in your intro, depending on your teacher’s expectations, the length of your paper, and complexity of your topic. In these context-providing sentences, you want to begin narrowing the focus of your intro. You can do this by describing a specific issue or question about your topic that you’ll address in your essay. It also helps readers start to understand why the topic you’re writing about matters and why they should read about it. 

So, what counts as context for an intro paragraph? Context can be any important details or descriptions that provide background on existing perspectives, common cultural attitudes, or a specific situation or controversy relating to your essay topic. The context you include should acquaint your reader with the issues, questions, or events that motivated you to write an essay on your topic...and that your reader should know in order to understand your thesis. 

For instance, if you’re writing an essay analyzing the consequences of sexism in Hollywood, the context you include after your hook might make reference to the #metoo and #timesup movements that have generated public support for victims of sexual harassment. 

The key takeaway here is that context establishes why you’re addressing your topic and what makes it important. It also sets you up for success on the final piece of an intro paragraph: the thesis statement.

Elle Woods' statement offers a specific point of view on the topic of murder...which means it could serve as a pretty decent thesis statement!

Intro Paragraph Part 3: The Thesis

The final key part of how to write an intro paragraph is the thesis statement. The thesis statement is the backbone of your introduction: it conveys your argument or point of view on your topic in a clear, concise, and compelling way . The thesis is usually the last sentence of your intro paragraph. 

Whether it’s making a claim, outlining key points, or stating a hypothesis, your thesis statement will tell your reader exactly what idea(s) are going to be addressed in your essay. A good thesis statement will be clear, straightforward, and highlight the overall point you’re trying to make.

Some instructors also ask students to include an essay map as part of their thesis. An essay map is a section that outlines the major topics a paper will address. So for instance, say you’re writing a paper that argues for the importance of public transport in rural communities. Your thesis and essay map might look like this: 

Having public transport in rural communities helps people improve their economic situation by giving them reliable transportation to their job, reducing the amount of money they spend on gas, and providing new and unionized work .

The underlined section is the essay map because it touches on the three big things the writer will talk about later. It literally maps out the rest of the essay!

So let’s review: Your thesis takes the idea you’ve introduced in your hook and context and wraps it up. Think of it like a television episode: the hook sets the scene by presenting a general statement and/or interesting idea that sucks you in. The context advances the plot by describing the topic in more detail and helping readers understand why the topic is important. And finally, the thesis statement provides the climax by telling the reader what you have to say about the topic. 

The thesis statement is the most important part of the intro. Without it, your reader won’t know what the purpose of your essay is! And for a piece of writing to be effective, it needs to have a clear purpose. Your thesis statement conveys that purpose , so it’s important to put careful thought into writing a clear and compelling thesis statement. 

How To Write an Introduction Paragraph: Example and Analysis

Now that we’ve provided an intro paragraph outline and have explained the three key parts of an intro paragraph, let’s take a look at an intro paragraph in action.

To show you how an intro paragraph works, we’ve included a sample introduction paragraph below, followed by an analysis of its strengths and weaknesses.

Example of Introduction Paragraph

While college students in the U.S. are struggling with how to pay for college, there is another surprising demographic that’s affected by the pressure to pay for college: families and parents. In the face of tuition price tags that total more than $100,000 (as a low estimate), families must make difficult decisions about how to save for their children’s college education. Charting a feasible path to saving for college is further complicated by the FAFSA’s estimates for an “Expected Family Contribution”—an amount of money that is rarely feasible for most American families. Due to these challenging financial circumstances and cultural pressure to give one’s children the best possible chance of success in adulthood, many families are going into serious debt to pay for their children’s college education. The U.S. government should move toward bearing more of the financial burden of college education. 

Example of Introduction Paragraph: Analysis

Before we dive into analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of this example intro paragraph, let’s establish the essay topic. The sample intro indicates that t he essay topic will focus on one specific issue: who should cover the cost of college education in the U.S., and why. Both the hook and the context help us identify the topic, while the thesis in the last sentence tells us why this topic matters to the writer—they think the U.S. Government needs to help finance college education. This is also the writer’s argument, which they’ll cover in the body of their essay. 

Now that we’ve identified the essay topic presented in the sample intro, let’s dig into some analysis. To pin down its strengths and weaknesses, we’re going to use the following three questions to guide our example of introduction paragraph analysis: 

• Does this intro provide an attention-grabbing opening sentence that conveys the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide relevant, engaging context about the essay topic? 
• Does this intro provide a thesis statement that establishes the writer’s point of view on the topic and what specific aspects of the issue the essay will address? 

Now, let’s use the questions above to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this sample intro paragraph. 

Does the Intro Have a Good Hook? 

First, the intro starts out with an attention-grabbing hook . The writer starts by presenting  an assumption (that the U.S. federal government bears most of the financial burden of college education), which makes the topic relatable to a wide audience of readers. Also note that the hook relates to the general topic of the essay, which is the high cost of college education. 

The hook then takes a surprising turn by presenting a counterclaim : that American families, rather than students, feel the true burden of paying for college. Some readers will have a strong emotional reaction to this provocative counterclaim, which will make them want to keep reading! As such, this intro provides an effective opening sentence that conveys the essay topic. 

Does the Intro Give Context?

T he second, third, and fourth sentences of the intro provide contextual details that reveal the specific focus of the writer’s paper . Remember: the context helps readers start to zoom in on what the paper will focus on, and what aspect of the general topic (college costs) will be discussed later on. 

The context in this intro reveals the intent and direction of the paper by explaining why the issue of families financing college is important. In other words, the context helps readers understand why this issue matters , and what aspects of this issue will be addressed in the paper.  

To provide effective context, the writer refers to issues (the exorbitant cost of college and high levels of family debt) that have received a lot of recent scholarly and media attention. These sentences of context also elaborate on the interesting perspective included in the hook: that American families are most affected by college costs.

Does the Intro Have a Thesis? 

Finally, this intro provides a thesis statement that conveys the writer’s point of view on the issue of financing college education. This writer believes that the U.S. government should do more to pay for students’ college educations. 

However, the thesis statement doesn’t give us any details about why the writer has made this claim or why this will help American families . There isn’t an essay map that helps readers understand what points the writer will make in the essay.

To revise this thesis statement so that it establishes the specific aspects of the topic that the essay will address, the writer could add the following to the beginning of the thesis statement:

The U.S. government should take on more of the financial burden of college education because other countries have shown this can improve education rates while reducing levels of familial poverty.

Check out the new section in bold. Not only does it clarify that the writer is talking about the pressure put on families, it touches on the big topics the writer will address in the paper: improving education rates and reduction of poverty. So not only do we have a clearer argumentative statement in this thesis, we also have an essay map!  

So, let’s recap our analysis. This sample intro paragraph does an effective job of providing an engaging hook and relatable, interesting context, but the thesis statement needs some work ! As you write your own intro paragraphs, you might consider using the questions above to evaluate and revise your work. Doing this will help ensure you’ve covered all of your bases and written an intro that your readers will find interesting!

4 Tips for How To Write an Introduction Paragraph

Now that we’ve gone over an example of introduction paragraph analysis, let’s talk about how to write an introduction paragraph of your own. Keep reading for four tips for writing a successful intro paragraph for any essay. 

Tip 1: Analyze Your Essay Prompt

If you’re having trouble with how to start an introduction paragraph, analyze your essay prompt! Most teachers give you some kind of assignment sheet, formal instructions, or prompt to set the expectations for an essay they’ve assigned, right? Those instructions can help guide you as you write your intro paragraph!

Because they’ll be reading and responding to your essay, you want to make sure you meet your teacher’s expectations for an intro paragraph . For instance, if they’ve provided specific instructions about how long the intro should be or where the thesis statement should be located, be sure to follow them!

The type of paper you’re writing can give you clues as to how to approach your intro as well. If you’re writing a research paper, your professor might expect you to provide a research question or state a hypothesis in your intro. If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need to make sure your intro overviews the context surrounding your argument and your thesis statement includes a clear, defensible claim. 

Using the parameters set out by your instructor and assignment sheet can put some easy-to-follow boundaries in place for things like your intro’s length, structure, and content. Following these guidelines can free you up to focus on other aspects of your intro... like coming up with an exciting hook and conveying your point of view on your topic!

Tip 2: Narrow Your Topic

You can’t write an intro paragraph without first identifying your topic. To make your intro as effective as possible, you need to define the parameters of your topic clearly—and you need to be specific. 

For example, let’s say you want to write about college football. “NCAA football” is too broad of a topic for a paper. There is a lot to talk about in terms of college football! It would be tough to write an intro paragraph that’s focused, purposeful, and engaging on this topic. In fact, if you did try to address this whole topic, you’d probably end up writing a book!

Instead, you should narrow broad topics to  identify a specific question, claim, or issue pertaining to some aspect of NCAA football for your intro to be effective. So, for instance, you could frame your topic as, “How can college professors better support NCAA football players in academics?” This focused topic pertaining to NCAA football would give you a more manageable angle to discuss in your paper.

So before you think about writing your intro, ask yourself: Is my essay topic specific, focused, and logical? Does it convey an issue or question that I can explore over the course of several pages? Once you’ve established a good topic, you’ll have the foundation you need to write an effective intro paragraph . 

Once you've figured out your topic, it's time to hit the books!

Tip 3: Do Your Research

This tip is tightly intertwined with the one above, and it’s crucial to writing a good intro: do your research! And, guess what? This tip applies to all papers—even ones that aren’t technically research papers. 

Here’s why you need to do some research: getting the lay of the land on what others have said about your topic—whether that’s scholars and researchers or the mass media— will help you narrow your topic, write an engaging hook, and provide relatable context. 

You don't want to sit down to write your intro without a solid understanding of the different perspectives on your topic. Whether those are the perspectives of experts or the general public, these points of view will help you write your intro in a way that is intriguing and compelling for your audience of readers. 

Tip 4: Write Multiple Drafts

Some say to write your intro first; others say write it last. The truth is, there isn’t a right or wrong time to write your intro—but you do need to have enough time to write multiple drafts . 

Oftentimes, your professor will ask you to write multiple drafts of your paper, which gives you a built-in way to make sure you revise your intro. Another approach you could take is to write out a rough draft of your intro before you begin writing your essay, then revise it multiple times as you draft out your paper. 

Here’s why this approach can work: as you write your paper, you’ll probably come up with new insights on your topic that you didn’t have right from the start. You can use these “light bulb” moments to reevaluate your intro and make revisions that keep it in line with your developing essay draft. 

Once you’ve written your entire essay, consider going back and revising your intro again . You can ask yourself these questions as you evaluate your intro: 

• Is my hook still relevant to the way I’ve approached the topic in my essay?
• Do I provide enough appropriate context to introduce my essay? 
• Now that my essay is written, does my thesis statement still accurately reflect the point of view that I present in my essay?

Using these questions as a guide and putting your intro through multiple revisions will help ensure that you’ve written the best intro for the final draft of your essay. Also, revising your writing is always a good thing to do—and this applies to your intro, too!

What's Next?

Your college essays also need great intro paragraphs. Here’s a guide that focuses on how to write the perfect intro for your admissions essays. 

Of course, the intro is just one part of your college essay . This article will teach you how to write a college essay that makes admissions counselors sit up and take notice.

Are you trying to write an analytical essay? Our step-by-step guide can help you knock it out of the park.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Development Through the Lifespan – Middle Adulthood Essay

Introduction, physical, cognitive, emotional and social development, influences affecting similarities and differences.

During their lifespan, people experience different stages of development. This paper will move deeper in development during middle adulthood, outlining the major influences on similarities and differences of people in this stage of life. Generally, middle adulthood takes the age approximately from 40 to 65. Although the body of people starts showing some signs of aging, middle adulthood is considered as a peak of personal abilities and skills.

The main process that can characterize middle adulthood is the increased physical aging of people. People in middle adulthood can face more serious and life-threatening diseases, their hearing, vision, skin, reproductive systems experience fundamental changes (Berk, 2017). However, people in countries with a differentiated level of development fell themselves in a different way. For example, the study conducted with the data for 1986-2006 showed that 85% of Americans reflected about their health condition either “excellent” or “good” (Zajacova & Woo, 2016). In contrast, in some low developed African countries, life expectancy is lower than 60 (Worldometer, 2021).

As for cognitive development, Berk (2017) indicates that “adults who use their intellectual skills seem to maintain them longer” (p. 526). This use of intellectual skills is not always related to intellectually demanding jobs because people can have leisure occupations like reading or playing intellectual games. These activities make people’s brain to be active through more time.

Emotional and social development also have some similarities and differences between people. While interviewing two respondents of age from 40 to 65, there were made some assumptions about the essence of such variations and commonalities. The major observation is that people in middle adulthood become quite conservative in their views, trying not to strikingly change their worldview. It is a quite applicable empirical trait to Valiant’s theory of adaptation of life. Berk (2017) explains Valiant’s ideas underscoring that “in societies around the world, older people are guardians of traditions, laws, and cultural values” (p. 542). Nevertheless, my respondents did not feel any “midlife crisis” anymore in their age, which many people in middle adulthood have. The main reason was that they have already overcome these difficulties in their early 40s, so in middle adulthood, they found a firm meaning in life in their family and cultural activities.

The similarities and differences between people could be explained through different lenses and perspectives. In other words, development is multidimensional because it is influenced by biological, environmental, cultural, social, and psychological forces (Berk, 2017). First of all, biological influences are fundamental for the explaining of differentiation. It is evident that there are some biological reasons that can explain why some people in middle adulthood feel better than some other people. For example, there can be the situation when two identical males who live in the same town and buy similar food in the same supermarket can feel strikingly different in their late 40s.

Experts call such phenomenon primary aging , which is determined by biological, genetically influenced factors (Berk, 2017). This influence is limited only to individuals’ health conditions, which could not be explained by environmental or other factors.

Environmental influence presents the other side of influence affecting people’s development in their middle adulthood. Scientists refer to such influence as secondary aging , distinguishing it from biological one. Differential susceptibility theory explains that people in middle adulthood are more sensitive to the environmental factors surrounding them (Kawamoto, 2019). More precisely, environmental factors impose different impacts on individuals with distinctive characteristics.

For example, the climate of Russian Siberia impacts differently on people. While the native residents of Siberia have adapted to such severe conditions, people in their middle adulthood who moved there will definitely experience serious health and mental disorders. It also results in different life expectancies, so people in their 60s can feel differently about their health conditions in various environments.

Cultural influences presumably have an impact on the social and emotional development of middle-aged people. The way how people reflect on their health is different worldwide. The relevant explanation is the various cultural codes that form the perception of diseases, aging problems, and so forth. Berk (2017) explains this phenomenon in the example of menopause, which is a characteristic process in middle adulthood, and women’s response to it. For example, in cultures where aged women are respected and have new roles and responsibilities in their new life period (caring for grandchildren) rarely complain about menopausal symptoms (Berk, 2017).

This cultural understanding is prevalent in Asian cultures; in Japan, women do not think about menopause as an important signal of aging. Another example is Yucatán Mayan women, who marry and can already have children much earlier than in other countries (Berk, 2017). They perceive aging as happy news because they will be freed from the obligation of childbearing. This broad example of menopause highlights the importance to value the cultural influence on similarities and differences of people.

Besides the biological, environmental, and cultural influences, there are many important factors that have an effect on people in middle adulthood. People in their 45-65 do not have many opportunities to change their occupation, so the economic influence is also crucial. Rich people will have much more ways to improve their health conditions than poor people. Also, there are quite complicated psychological influences that could be explained in Freudian terms. All in all, students of human development should have a firm understanding of the multidimensionality of factors affecting it.

Middle adulthood is a border stage that encompasses characteristics of early and late adulthood. People in their 45-65 sometimes feel “free like a youngster again” but they already have the set of obligations and foundations that make them more conservative in their decisions. The main observation is that almost all people in their middle adulthood are extremely different. Such variations are determined by various influences, from biological to cultural.

Berk, L. E. (2017). Development through the lifespan (7th edition) . Pearson Education. Web.

Kawamoto, T. (2019). Personality change in middle adulthood: With focus on differential susceptibility. The Journal of psychology, 153 (8), 860-879. Web.

Worldometer. (2021). Life expectancy of the world population . Web.

Zajacova, A., & Woo, H. (2016). Examination of age variations in the predictive validity of self-rated health. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 71 (3), 551-557. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, December 7). Development Through the Lifespan - Middle Adulthood. https://ivypanda.com/essays/development-through-the-lifespan-middle-adulthood/

"Development Through the Lifespan - Middle Adulthood." IvyPanda , 7 Dec. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/development-through-the-lifespan-middle-adulthood/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Development Through the Lifespan - Middle Adulthood'. 7 December.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Development Through the Lifespan - Middle Adulthood." December 7, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/development-through-the-lifespan-middle-adulthood/.

1. IvyPanda . "Development Through the Lifespan - Middle Adulthood." December 7, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/development-through-the-lifespan-middle-adulthood/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Development Through the Lifespan - Middle Adulthood." December 7, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/development-through-the-lifespan-middle-adulthood/.

• The Gold Airways Fleet Management
• Ovulation Disorder, Menarche and Menopause
• The Lifespan Development Perspective
• Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado: The Inquiry Process
• Ethics of Napoleon Chagnon's Yanomami Tribe Study
• Anthropology: Definition and Purposes
• Anthropology: Chimpanzees Have a Culture
• Death and Funeral Customs of the Ainu and Nuer Peoples

Emerging Adulthood Essay Example

• February 1, 2023

Essay About Emerging Adulthood

Emerging Adulthood Essay: Introduction

Life changes. Bringing no surprise for anyone, life itself changes along with what it contains: people, science and technology, economy, and nature. Everything evolves in time, and Charles Darwin summarizes this fact with a very simple yet accurate. The only thing that does not change is the change itself. Therefore, the way people live life changes in time as well. There are main and side factors for this change which will be detailed throughout this paper. At this point, first, name this change and define what it is. The change in people’s lives is called the “emerging adulthood” by J.J. Arnett, who gave a speech on this topic on TED (2015). Arnett (2007) defines emerging adulthood as the transition from adolescence to young adulthood and a stable lifestyle and researches the reasons for the forward shift of this transition in people’s lifespan by comparing generations’ lifestyles and experiences at the same time in their lives. Barnett (2007) carries his argument onward by stating, “With respect to the question of whether emerging adulthood is experienced positively or negatively by most people, it is argued that it is positive for most people but entails developmental challenges that may be difficult and there is great heterogeneity, with some emerging adults experiencing serious problems.” In addition to his works cited above, considering his speech performance on TEDxPSU, he obviously was somewhere in between excited and nervous. However, despite the small flaws in his speech, he draws attention to a very important fact that shows up slowly through generations and takes time for people to recognize it, just like the evolution. Along with the technical, technological, and scientific developments, the lives of people and their preferences indispensably change.

Body Paragraphs

The speech of J.J. Arnett (TED, March 2015) named “Why does it take so long to grow up today?” concentrates on the lives of individuals and the effect of the change in individuals’ lives on society. J. J. Arnett, the founder of the theory “emerging adulthood”, argues that the time of the transition in people’s life from adolescence to young adulthood shifted in time, and this shift led to the ascent of a new time interval in people’s lives, which Arnett calls emerging adulthood.

According to Arnett (TED, 2015), there are four main reasons for this change. He lists these reasons as the following four revolutions; the technology revolution, the sexual revolution, the women’s movement, and the youth movement. Arnett also emphasizes the importance of industrialization in creating this new stage in people’s lives. First off, let us see the effect of industrialization. As Arnett (2007) indicated, the more a society of concern is modernized in terms of vulture capitalism, the more the shreds of evidence of Arnett’s theory are seen. However, at this point, it is worth paying attention to that industrialization is not actually a positive factor all the time. Even though today’s vulture capitalist system advertises industrialization as the concept of “modern life” or “modernization”, the fact is that it destroys the structure of the society.

In the speech of Arnett (TED, 2015), the link between the technology revolution and industrialization was emphasized with the following example; “another huge the technology revolution of the last fifty years has been the transition from a manufacturing economy to a knowledge economy.” This could be opened up as the technology has been improved enough to robotize manufacturing that labor force is not as crucial as it was in the past. The effect of needing less labor force and environmental concerns causes main manufacturing to be shifted to other countries. As a result, the structure of the economy changes from manufacturing to knowledge, which means that trade, economics, and marketing take the place of machine building, maintenance, and arm power. This causes people to study longer in order to obtain academic degrees and start their career later than people did fifty years ago. In the 60s, women were able to start a family at around the age of 20, and it was 23 for men. However, today it is 27 for women and 29 for men. This was mainly caused by the need to study more and work harder to establish a consistent financial situation (TED, 2015).

The second reason that Arnett (TED, 2015) draws attention is the sexual revolution. Other than the change in people’s minds, the advance of birth control options helped people have sexual experiences at earlier ages and more freely than past. Therefore, people are now able to postpone settling down due to financial causes without sacrificing one of their basic instincts.

Thirdly, the women’s movement is another factor that has a crucial effect on emerging adulthood. Along with industrialization and the sexual revolution, women gained power in society as well. Arnett (TED, 2015) exemplifies this as “women in 60s had no other chance to find a man and get married. However, now, women study, work, and have their financial freedom.” As a result of these changes, women are not supposed to settle down to be considered as adults today, which brings freedom to women as it should do.

The fourth and the last factor, the youth movement, is the one that contributes to change the understanding of the concept of “youth”. Today’s youth define it themselves what being youth and adult are. Adulthood was defined by some good yet cliché factors such as status, money, and career in the past. However, people define their status for themselves today. A young man or woman in the early 20s could chase a career or money. On the other hand, he or she could fall behind intentionally and have a less competitive life. Thus, today, adulthood is not what you possess, but it is what you feel or wants to be. Barnett remarks in his speech (TED, 2015) that today’s youth do not hurry into adulthood, and they prefer prolonging their youth.

I personally think that the theory of J. J. Arnett is valid and meaningful. I completely agree that change is the origin of life. Therefore, stages, styles, content, and length of human life change with time. These changes could be perceived as good or bad, but the truth is the change itself. For me, all changes are good if a person could adapt to them. I believe that I am quite able to adapt to the concept of emerging adulthood. The length of human life is longer compared to the 60s, and the economic facts are totally different as well. Therefore, settling down at a later age is actually an advantage for people, in my opinion. The reflection of this theory into real life is the oppression from elderly people towards today’s youth about settling down. However, not to forget that the youth of 60s had the similar problems and were dictated to follow a certain path by their parents as well. Conflict of generations is always present, and Arnett distinguished it very well.

Emerging Adulthood Essay: Conclusion

In conclusion, the speech (TED, 2015) and the article (2007) by Arnett draw attention to an arising issue of today. He constitutes his theory on four main factors, which are the technological revolution, the sexual revolution, the women’s movement, and the youth movement. Being able to present four solid reasons for his theory as a cause is a crucial advantage of J. J. Arnett. After constitution his theory, he explains the cause-and-effect relation between and states his thoughts successfully. As it was stated earlier, I agree with all the terms of emerging adulthood theory and believe that it has a positive effect on people. Although it would not stop the change in people’s lives and make the theory invalid if emerging adulthood had a negative effect on us, human nature consists of adaptation, and we are able to adapt to emerging adulthood which makes it beneficial for us.

Arnett, J. J. (2007). Emerging adulthood: What is it, and what is it good for?. Child development perspectives, 1(2), 68-73.

TED. (2015, March 1). Why does it take so long to grow up today? | Jeffrey Jensen Arnett [Video]. YouTube. https://youtube.com/

Recently on Tamara Blog

Essay on Animal Farm by Orwell – Free Essay Samples

“Animal Farm” by George Orwell is a literary masterpiece that tells the story of a group of farm animals who rebel against their human farmer and establish a socialist community based on the principles of equality and mutual respect (Orwell, 1945). However, over time, the pigs who lead the revolution gradually become corrupted by power and begin to oppress and exploit the other animals, ultimately turning the farm into a totalitarian state.

Essay on Cyberbullying – Free Essay Samples

Bullying is an aggressive behavior that is intentional and repeated, aimed at causing harm or discomfort to a person, and often takes place in social environments such as schools, workplaces, and online platforms. Cyberbullying is a relatively new form of bullying that has emerged with the widespread use of technology and the internet. Cyberbullying refers to bullying behaviors that occur online or through electronic means, such as social media, text messages, and emails.

Essay on Nature vs. Nurture – Free Essay Samples

The debate over nature versus nurture has been a longstanding topic of interest among psychologists and other scholars. The two concepts, nature and nurture, are frequently used to explain human development and behavior.

Lord of the Flies Essay – Free Essay Samples

Veterans have played a critical role in the history of the United States, serving their country in times of war and peace. Despite their sacrifices, many veterans face significant challenges, including physical and mental health issues, homelessness, and unemployment.

Why Veterans Are Important – Free Essay Samples

American dream essay – free essay samples.

The American Dream has been a central concept in American culture for decades, representing the idea that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. The concept of the American Dream is rooted in the country’s history and has been promoted in various ways, from the founding fathers’ beliefs to the post-World War II era.

• school Campus Bookshelves
• menu_book Bookshelves
• perm_media Learning Objects
• login Login
• how_to_reg Request Instructor Account
• hub Instructor Commons

Margin Size

• Download Page (PDF)
• Download Full Book (PDF)
• Periodic Table
• Physics Constants
• Scientific Calculator
• Reference & Cite
• Tools expand_more
• Readability

selected template will load here

This action is not available.

10.1: Introduction to Late Adulthood

• Last updated
• Save as PDF
• Page ID 3069

• Laura Overstreet
• Western Washington University

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

Learning Objectives

• Differentiate between impaired, normal, and optimal aging.
• Report numbers of people in late adulthood age categories in the United States.
• Discuss changes in the age structure of society in the U. S. and globally.
• Report life expectancies in the United States based on gender, race, and ethnicity.
• Explain the reasons for changes in life expectancies.
• Identify examples of ageism.
• Compare primary and secondary aging.
• Report on the leading sources of secondary aging.
• Describe changes in the senses in late adulthood.
• Discuss the impact of aging on the sensory register, working memory, and long-term memory.
• Describe theories of aging.
• Define Hayflick Limit.
• Evaluate previous ideas about aging and cognition based on new research.
• Describe abnormal memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease, delirium, and dementia.
• Differentiate between organic and nonorganic causes of dementia.
• Describe Erikson’s psychosocial stage for late adulthood.
• Contrast disengagement, activity, and continuity theories of aging.
• Describe ways in which people are productive in late adulthood.
• Describe grandparenting styles.
• Compare marriage, divorce, being single, and widowhood in late adulthood.
• Report rates at which people in late adulthood require long-term care.
• Examine caregiving for dependent older adults.
• Define socio-emotional selectivity theory.
• Classify types of elder abuse.

Photo Courtesy Overstreet

Defining Late Adulthood: Age or Quality of Life?

We are considered in late adulthood from the time we reach our mid-sixties until death. In this lesson, we will learn how many people are in late adulthood, how that number is expected to change, and how life changes and continues to be the same as before in late adulthood. About 13 percent of the U. S. population or 38.9 million Americans are 65 and older (U. S. Census Bureau, 2011). This number is expected to grow to 88.5 million by the year 2050 at which time people over 65 will make up 20 percent of the population. This group varies considerably and is divided into categories of 65 plus, 85 plus, and centenarians for comparison by the census. Developmentalists, however, divide this population in to categories based on health and social well-being. Optimal aging refers to those who enjoy better health and social well-being than average. Normal aging refers to those who seem to have the same health and social concerns as most of those in the population. However, there is still much being done to understand exactly what normal aging means. Impaired aging refers to those who experience poor health and dependence to a greater extent than would be considered normal. Aging successfully involves making adjustments as needed in order to continue living as independently and actively as possible. This is referred to as selective optimization with compensation and means, for example, that a person who can no longer drive, is able to find alternative transportation. Or a person who is compensating for having less energy, learns how to reorganize the daily routine to avoid over-exertion. Perhaps nurses and other allied health professionals working with this population will begin to focus more on helping patients remain independent than on simply treating illnesses. Promoting health and independence are important for successful aging.

Age Categories: 65 to 74

These 18.3 million Americans tend to report greater health and social well-being than older adults. Having good or excellent health is reported by 41 percent of this age group (Center for Disease Control, 2004). Their lives are more similar to those of midlife adults than those who are 85 and older. This group is less likely to require long-term care, to be dependent or to be poor, and more likely to be married, working for pleasure rather than income, and living independently. About 65 percent of men and 50 percent of women between the ages of 65-69 continue to work full-time (He et al., 2005). Physical activity tends to decrease with age, despite the dramatic health benefits enjoyed by those who exercise. People with more education and income are more likely to continue being physically active. And males are more likely to engage in physical activity than are females. The majority of the young-old continue to live independently. Only about 3 percent of those 65-74 need help with daily living skills as compared with about 22.9 percent of people over 85. (Another way to consider think of this is that 97 percent of people between 65-74 and 77 percent of people over 85 do not require assistance!) This age group is less likely to experience heart disease, cancer, or stroke than the old, but nearly as likely to experience depression (U. S. Census, 2005).

This age group is more likely to experience limitations on physical activity due to chronic disease such as arthritis, heart conditions, hypertension (especially for women), and hearing or visual impairments. Rates of death due to heart disease, cancer, and cerebral vascular disease are double that experienced by people 65-74. Poverty rates are 3 percent higher (12 percent) than for those between 65 and 74. However, the majority of these 12.9 million Americans live independently or with relatives. Widowhood is more common in this group-especially among women.

The number of people 85 and older is 34 times greater than in 1900 and now includes 5.7 million Americans. This group is more likely to require long-term care and to be in nursing homes. However, of the 38.9 million American over 65, only 1.6 million require nursing home care. Sixty-eight percent live with relatives and 27 percent live alone (He et al., 2005; U. S. Census Bureau, 2011).

Centenarians

There are 104,754 people over 100 years of aging living in the United States. This number is expected to increase to 601,000 by the year 2050 (U. S. Census Bureau, 2011). The majority is between ages 100 and 104 and eighty percent are women. Out of almost 7 billion people on the planet, about 25 are over 110. Most live in Japan, a few live the in United States and three live in France (National Institutes of Health, 2006). These “super-Centenarians” have led varied lives and probably do not give us any single answers about living longer. Jeanne Clement smoked until she was 117. She lived to be 122. She also ate a diet rich in olive oil and rode a bicycle until she was 100. Her family had a history of longevity. Pitskhelauri (in Berger, 2005) suggests that moderate diet, continued work and activity, inclusion in family and community life, and exercise and relaxation are important ingredients for long life.

The “Graying” of America and the Globe:

This trend toward an increasingly aged population has been referred to as the “graying of America.” However, populations are aging in most other countries of the world. (One exception to this is in sub-Saharan Africa where mortality rates are high due to HIV/AIDS) (He et al., 2005). There are 520 million people over 65 worldwide. This number is expected to increase to 1.53 billion by 2050 (from 8 percent to 17 percent of the global population.) Currently, four countries, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Monaco, have 20 percent of their population over 65. China has the highest number of people over 65 at 112 million (U. S. Census Bureau, 2011).

As the population ages, concerns grow about who will provide for those requiring long-term care. In 2000, there were about 10 people 85 and older for every 100 persons between ages 50 and 64. These midlife adults are the most likely care providers for their aging parents. The number of old requiring support from their children is expected to more than double by the year 2040 (He et al., 2005). These families will certainly need external physical, emotional, and financial support in meeting this challenge.

REFERENCES:

Berger, K. S. (2005). The developing person through the life span (6th ed.). New York: Worth.

Berk, L. (2007). Development through the life span (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Brehm, S. S., Miller, R., Perlman, D., & Campbell, S. (2002). Intimate relationships. (3rd ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Busse, E. W. (1969). Theories of aging. In E. W. Busse & E. Pfeiffer (Eds.), Behavior and adaptation in late life. (pp. 11-31).

Cahill, S., South, K., & Spade, J. (n.d.). Outing age: Public policy issues affecting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender elders | National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force | Building LGBT Political Power from the Ground up. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_...rch/outing_age

Carroll, J. (2007). Sexuality now: Embracing diversity (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Carstenson, L. L., Fung, H. H., & Charles, S. T. (2003). Socioemotional selectivity theory and the regulation of emotion in the second half of life. Motivation and Emotion, 27, 103-123.

Chapman, D. P., Williams, S. M., Strine, T. W., Anda, R. F., & Moore, M. J. (2006, February 18). Preventing Chronic Disease: April 2006: 05_0167. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2006/apr/05_0167.htm

Cherlin, A. J., & Furstenberg, F. F. (1986). The new American grandparent: A place in the family, a life apart. New York: Basic Books.

Chevan, A. (1996). As cheaply as one: Cohabitation in the older population. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 656-667.

Demographic Data on Aging. (n.d.). National Institute on Aging. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.nia.nih.gov/ResearchInfor...aphicAging.htm

Dollemore, D. (2006, August 29). Publications. National Institute on Aging. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInforma...theMicroscope/

Erikson, E. H. (1980). Identity and the life cycle. New York: Norton.

He, W., Sengupta, M., Velkoff, V., & DeBarros, K. (n.d.). U. S. Census Bureau, Current Popluation Reports, P23-209, 65+ in the United States: 2005 (United States, U. S. Census Bureau). Retrieved May 7, 2011, from http://www.census.gov/prod/1/pop/p23-190/p23-190.html

Kwong, T., & Ryan, E. (1999). Intergenerational communication: The survey interview as a social exchange. In S. See (Author) & N. Schwarz, D. C. Parker, B. Knauer, & Sudman (Eds.), Cognition, aging, and self reports. Philadelphia: Psychology Press.

Meegan, S. P., & Berg, C. A. (2002). Contexts, functions, forms, and processes of collaborative everyday problem solving in older adulthood. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 26(1), 6-15. doi: 10.1080/01650250143000283

National Center for Health Statistics: Health, United States, 2010: With special feature on death and dying. (n.d.). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus.htm

National Institute on Aging, Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging Home Page. (n.d.). National Institute on Aging – Intramural Research Program. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.grc.nia.nih.gov/branches/blsa/blsa.htm

Newsroom: Facts for Features & Special Editions: Facts for Features: Older Americans Month: May 2010. (2011, February 22). Census Bureau Home Page. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/relea...cb10-ff06.html

Overstreet, L. (2006). Unhappy birthday: Stereotypes in late adulthood. Unpublished manuscript, Texas Woman’s University.

Strough, J., Hicks, P. J., Swenson, L. M., Cheng, S., & Barnes, K. A. (2003). Collaborative everyday problem solving: Interpersonal relationships and problem dimensions. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 56, 43-66.

Tennstedt, S., Morris, J., Unverzagt, F., Rebok, G., Willis, S., Ball, K., & Marsiske, M. (n.d.). ACTIVE: Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly Clinical Trial | Clinical Trials Search.org. Clinical Trials Database and Worldwide Listings | ClinicalTrialsSearch.org. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.clinicaltrialssearch.org/...t00298558.html

Umberson, D., Williams, K., Powers, D., Hui, L., & Needham, B. (2006). You make me sick: Marital quality and health over the life course. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 47(1), 1-16.

United States, National Center for Health Statistics. (2002). National Vital Statistics Report, 50(16). Retrieved May 7, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/dvs/LCWK1_2000.pdf

United States, National Institute on Aging. (n.d.). Alzheimer’s Disease, Education, and Referral Center. Update January 21, 2011. Retrieved February 17, 2011, from http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Pu...9/Introduction

Uscher, J. (2006, January). How to make a world of difference-without leaving home. AARP The Magazine – Feel Great. Save Money. Have Fun. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyl...unteering.html

Weitz, R. (2007). The sociology of health, illness, and health care : A critical approach. Wadsworth Publishing.

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essays Examples >
• Essay Topics

Essays on Adulthood

2752 samples on this topic

On this resource, we've put together a directory of free paper samples regarding Adulthood. The plan is to provide you with a sample identical to your Adulthood essay topic so that you could have a closer look at it in order to get a better idea of what a top-notch academic work should look like. You are also urged to employ the best Adulthood writing practices displayed by expert authors and, eventually, come up with a top-notch paper of your own.

However, if composing Adulthood papers entirely by yourself is not an option at this point, WowEssays.com essay writer service might still be able to help you out. For instance, our experts can craft an one-of-a-kind Adulthood essay sample exclusively for you. This example piece on Adulthood will be written from scratch and tailored to your individual requirements, reasonably priced, and delivered to you within the pre-set period. Choose your writer and buy custom essay now!

Expertly Written Essay On Who Makes A Stronger Case Between Mary Anne Warren And Don Marquis? Why To Follow

Good example of understanding visual arts: comparing michelangelo and masaccio’s art works essay.

Introduction

There are numerous art works that have been considered popular and noteworthy as these have been created by famous artists through time. Two (2) of these famous artists were Michelangelo Buonarroti and Tommaso di Ser Giovanni di Simone, or more popularly known as Masaccio. One of the most renowned paintings of Michelangelo until contemporary times is The Creation of Adam ; while that of Masaccio is The Tribute Money . The current discourse hereby aims to present a comparative analysis of these two (2) works of art, specifically noting compelling differences or similarities that distinguished them from others.

Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam

Good Example Of Family Dynamics Essay

Sample case study on system implementation.

Question #1

The major problem, in this case, is poor implementation of the new electronic clinical documentations system by the end users. The problem is likely to have been caused by the hurried implementation, inadequate training, and minimum involvement of the end users during the early stages of the project.

Question #2

Sample Essay On Fall Among Elders: A Needs Assessment And Potential Approach To Intervention

Good example of essay on negative sides of playing video games, free essay about research article critique, learn to craft essays on bullying with this example, expertly written essay on marketing management to follow.

The objective of this paper is to answer to specific questions related to marketing management.

Free Rhetorical Analysis Of A Print Advertisement, Pedigree Dog Food AD Essay Sample

Inspiring movie review about deadpool, good example of research paper on sleep wake disorders, child’s mind and how it affects one’s childhood experiences essay sample.

(Student’s Full Name)

Perfect Model Essay On Health Promotion And Disease Prevention

How adolescents think essay samples, good essay about nutrition at key life stages, draw topic & writing ideas from this literature review on child abuse and neglect, free methods research paper example.

Integrated Learning Homework

Free Essay On Withdrawal Of Life Support

Example of essay on review of journal article on adult education.

The article under the title “Heutagogy and lifelong learning: A review of heutagogical practice and self-determined learning” by Lisa Marie Blaschke is reviewed in this paper, aimed at the revealing of its importance, its strong and, perhaps, weak sides.

Summary of the Article and Author’s Recommendations

Good Biology Assignment On Biology

Learn to craft essays on the enlightenment and the declaration of independence with this example, example of add and adhd: research paper research paper, education: instructional module11: exemplar essay to follow.

Demonstration and Return Demonstration Module

Exemplar Essay On Corporate-Level Strategies To Write After

Business-Level and Corporate-Level Strategies for Coca-Cola Company

Good Example Of Research Paper On Obesity

(Author, Department, University,

Corresponding Address and email)

Free Essay About Skin Care Bundle And Decrease In Skin Breakdown

Expertly written question & answer on answers to questions 1 to 22 to follow, inspiring research paper about successful adolescent and adult.

Influence of Nurture on the Process of Becoming a

Type Or Types Of Maltreatment Case Study To Use For Practical Writing Help

Response to Case Study Scenario

Bone Detectives: Bone Classification Report Samples

Good comparison and contrast between j. alfred prufrock and nick adams essay example, free essay about quantitative research critique process.

O'Neill, K. E., Senapati, S., & Dokras, A. (2015). Use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist trigger during in vitro fertilization is associated with similar endocrine profiles and oocyte measures in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome. Fertility and sterility, 103(1), 264-269.

Comprehension

Good Example Of Essay On Modern Feminism

Virginia Woolf and

Draw Topic & Writing Ideas From This Essay On Was Darwin Wrong? 4 Pgs MLA

Perfect model literature review on rehabilitation of cerebral palsy patients following hip arthroplasty, min-807 essay samples.

Personal Theology of Discipleship

Association Of Physical Activity And Level Of Depression Among Youth In The United States Dissertation Proposal Examples

Free essay on leadership and management, migraine headaches essay to use for practical writing help, theories of career development essays example, expertly written essay on childhood - crmj 3750 to follow, changing mindset case study analysis: free sample case study to follow, a-level essay on traumatic brain injury and cognition for free use, exemplar essay on pico to write after, proper essay example about adolescence discussion, good example of essay on recruitment or cultivation, root cause analysis essays example, draw topic & writing ideas from this essay on publications.

Institutions

Query Letter The Editor in chief, Joseph E. Gaugler, Ph.D.

Dear Dr. Gaugler,

Example Of Essay On Developmental Theories Of Erik Erikson, Piaget, And Vygotsky

Example of essay on product development & operations: category manager analysis.

Product Life Cycle

Language As A Cognitive Process: Children Vs. Adults Research Paper Example

Add and adhd: research paper outline essay template for faster writing.

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common disorders emerging at early stages of the child’s development. ADHD might have both short-term negative effects on the child’s development and long-term implications for functioning in adolescence and adulthood. The symptoms of the disorder might develop already in early childhood and persist throughout childhood, adolescence and adulthood; the impact of these symptoms might impair the person’s abilities in social, educational and vocational domains (Redmond 133).

Overview of the disorder

Supply Chain Design Essay Sample

E-learning {type) to use as a writing model.

Technology has undergone tremendous evolution over the past couple of decades leading to several innovative developments and inventions. E-Learning is one of the most remarkable products of the technological development. Electronic learning or e-learning, in short, is the process of learning through electronic media with special reference to the internet. To say differently, any form of online learning is synonymous to e-learning (Dror, 2011). This paper sets out to analyze the growing trends relating to electronic learning in different settings such as K-2 schools, institutions of higher education, and businesses.

Significant Developments in E-Learning over the Past Decade

Expertly Written Essay On Transferring Juveniles To Adult Court To Follow

Transition from childhood to adulthood essay to use for practical writing help, draw topic & writing ideas from this research paper on paper title.

Profressor Name

Sample Essay On A Website For Identifying Valid, Reliable Information In The Internet

Assignment 3: Website Critique

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Introduction to Middle Adulthood

Learning objectives.

Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to

• Explain trends in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy.
• List developmental tasks of midlife.
• Summarize physical changes that occur in midlife.
• Explain physical changes that occur during menopause.
• Describe variations in cultural responses to menopause.
• Contrast menopause and andropause.
• Explain the relationships between the climacteric and sexual expression.
• Discuss the impact of exercise on health in midlife.
• Describe the ideal diet for middle aged adults.
• Describe cognitive development in midlife.
•  Compare midlife students with younger students and their approach to learning.
•  Contrast the expert and the novice.
•  Evaluate the notion of the midlife crisis.
•  Define kinkeeping and the impact of caregiving.
•  Describe Erikson’s stage of generativity vs. stagnation.
• Compare types of singles.
• Contrast intrinsic and utilitarian marriages.
• Classify types of marriages based on Cuber and Harroff’s model.
•  Discuss communication in marriage.
•  Describe the stations of divorce.
•  Discuss issues related to re-coupling including remarriage and cohabitation.
•  Describe personality changes in midlife.
• Discuss work related issues in midlife.

Introduction

Middle adulthood (or midlife) refers to the period of the lifespan between young adulthood and old age. This period lasts from 20 to 40 years depending on how these stages, ages, and tasks are culturally defined. The most common age definition is from 40 to 65, but there can be a range of up to 10 years (ages 30-75) on either side of these numbers. The mid-thiries or the forties through the late 60s can be our guide. Research on this period of life is relatively new and many aspects of midlife are still being explored. This may be the least studied period of the lifespan. And this is a varied group. We can see considerable differences in individuals within this developmental stage. There is much to learn about this group. In the United States, the large Baby Boom cohort (those born between 1946 and 1964) are now midlife adults and this has led to increased interest in this developmental stage.

This is a relatively new period of life. One hundred years ago, life expectancy in the United States was about 47 years. Life-expectancy has increased globally by about 6 years since 1990 and now stands at 68 years and ranges from 57 years in low-income countries to 80 in high-income countries (World Health Organization, 2011). This number reflects an increase in life expectancy in Africa due to availability of antiretroviral medications to reduce HIV/AIDS, and a decrease in Europe and in countries in the former Soviet Union. Life expectancy in the United States for those born in 2007 is now at 75.9 for white males, 80.8 for white females, 70.0 for black males, and 76.8 for black females (U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, 2010). The U. S. ranks 42nd in the world and has been declining in rank. Children born in the U. S. today may be the first generation to have a shorter life span than their parents. Much of this decline has been attributed to the increase in sedentary lifestyle and obesity. See the Washington Post article,  U.S. Deaths Rise by 50,000 in 2005 , for more details.

Of course, longevity is not the only consideration. How long can we expect to lead health lives? Healthy life expectancy, or the years one can expect to live in good health, is 67 for males and 71 for females in the United States. It is higher in Japan with a healthy life expectancy of 72 for males and 78 for females. Certainly, living healthier lives is the goal. In the United States, Canada, and other countries where people live well in midlife, there are new concerns are about the aging process, the impact of lifestyle on health, productivity at work, and how to best spend the second half of life.

Developmental Tasks

Lachman (2004) provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges facing midlife adults. These include:

• Losing parents and experiencing associated grief.
• Launching children into their own lives.
• Adjusting to home life without children (often referred to as the empty nest).
• Dealing with adult children who return to live at home (known as boomerang children in the United States).
• Becoming grandparents.
• Preparing for late adulthood.
• Acting as caregivers for aging parents or spouses.

Let’s explore these tasks and this stage of life.

REFERENCES:

Anderson, S. A., & Sabatelli, R. M. (2007). Family interaction: A multigenerational developmental perspective. Boston: Pearson/A & B.

Barnett, R. C. (1997). Gender, employment, and psychological well-being: Historical and life course perspectives. In Lachman & James (Eds.), Multiple Paths of Midlife Development (pp. 325-343). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Bengstron, V. L. (2001). Families, intergenerational relationships, and kinkeeping in midlife. In N. M. Putney (Author) & M. E. Lachman (Ed.), Handbook of midlife development (pp. 528-579). New York: Wiley.

Berger, K. S. (n.d.). The developing person through the life span. (6th ed.). New York: Worth.

Berk, L. (2007). Development through the life span (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Bohannan, P. (1971). Divorce and after. New York: Doubleday.

Bumpass, L. L., & Aquilino, W. S. (1995). A social map of midlife: Family and work over the life course. Prepared for the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Midlife Development.

Cuber, J. F., & Harroff, P. B. (1965). Sex and the significant Americans: A study of sexual behavior among the affluent. Baltimore: Penguin Books.

Firth, K. (2004). The adaptive value of feeling in control in midlife. In M. E. Lachman (Author) & O. D. Brim, C. D. Ryff, & R. Kessler (Eds.), How healthy are we: A national study of health in midlife. (pp. 320-349). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Global Health Observatory: Life expectancy at birth. (Rep.). (2011). Retrieved February 21, 2011, from World Health Organization website: http://www.who.int/gho/mortality_burden_disease/life_tables/situation_trends_life_expectancy/en/index.html

Gottman, J. M., & Silver, N. (1999). The seven principles for making marriage work. New York: Crown.

Hochschild, A. R., & Machung, A. (1989). The second shift: Working parents and the revolution at home. New York, NY: Viking.

Knowles, M. S. (1998). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston: Gulf Pub., Book Division.

Lachman, M. E. (2004). Development in Midlife. Annual Review of Psychology, 55(1), 305-331. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.141521

Low Testosterone: MedlinePlus Interactive Health Tutorial from the Patient Education Institute. (n.d.). National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/lowtestosterone/htm/index.htm

Marks, N. F. (1998). Does it hurt to care? Caregiving, work-family conflict, and midlife well-being. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60(4), 951-966.

McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2003). Personality in adulthood: A five-factor theory perspective. New York: Guilford Press.

Menopause: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2007, January 11). National Library of Medicine – National Institutes of Health. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000894.htm

Neugarten, B. L. (1968). The awareness of middle aging. In B. L. Neugarten (Ed.), Middle age and aging (pp. 93-98). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

NIH Research Matters has moved. (2007, January 12). National Institutes of Health (NIH). Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.nih.gov/news/research_matters/january2007/01122007skills.htm

Reid, J. D. (1999). Women’s health in midlife. In N. E. Avis (Author) & S. L. Willis (Ed.), Life in the Middle: Psychological and Social Development in Middle Age (pp. 105-147). San Diego, CA: Academic.

Research network on successful midlife development. (2007, February 7). Midlife Research – MIDMAC WebSite. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://midmac.med.harvard.edu/research.html

Rossi, A. S. (2004). The menopausal transition and aging process. In How healthy are we: A national study of health in midlife. (pp. 550-575). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Schaie, K. W. (2005). Developmental influences on adult intelligence the Seattle longitudinal study. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Seccombe, K., & Warner, R. L. (2004). Marriages and families: Relationships in social context. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Shapiro, S. M. (2006). Goal-free living: How to have the life you want now! Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Shure, J., & Cahan, V. (1998, September 10). Launch an Exercise Program Today, Say Aging Institute, Senator John Glenn. National Institute on Aging. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.nia.nih.gov/NewsAndEvents/PressReleases/PR19980910Launch.htm

Stein, J. (1981). Single life: Unmarried adults in social context. New York: St. Martin’s Press.

The 2011 Statistical Abstract: Life Expectancy. (n.d.). Census Bureau Home Page. Retrieved May 07, 2011, from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/births_deaths_marriages_divorces/life_expectancy.html

United States, National Institute on Aging. (2005, December 20). Sexuality in Later Life. Retrieved February 3, 2007, from http://www.niapublications.org/agepages/sexuality.asp

United States, U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health. (2007, February 1). Erectile Dysfunction Affects 18 Million U. S. Men. Retrieved February 3, 2007, from http://www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_44724.htm

Willis, S. L., & Schaie, K. W. (1999). Intellectual functioning in midlife. In S. L. Willis & J. D. Reid (Eds.), Life in the Middle: Psychological and Social Development in Middle Age (pp. 233-247). San Diego: Academic.

Lifespan Development Copyright © by Lumen Learning is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• Save your essays here so you can locate them quickly!
• Decision Making
• Erik Erickson

Adulthood 3 Pages 749 Words

             There is no clear determinant for determining when a person becomes an adult, Some say it's when you turn eighteen others say it's when you get your drivers license. One thing is for sure though to become an adult you must be mature and ready to take on the world. Being an adult means achieving a separate identity, being able to support your self and/or your family financially, and being able to provide yourself with a house or a place to call home. Adulthood consists of many different aspects, and is not an easy part of life.              To become an adult you must achieve a separate identity. Erik Erickson a Austrian psychologist defined identity as "a sense of self part from one's family." This means to be an adult you must become independent so that you will be provided the opportunity to learn and take responsibility for your own lives. Young adults need to know who they are in order to be self-dependent, they also need to know their strengths and weaknesses, and the values they consider to be important to them. Young people who enter the adult world with a strong understanding of who they are and obtained a strong sense of self- developing in adolescence should have no problem obtaining an emotional identity that is separate from their former family. There is also plenty of decision making in adulthood and you don't always have an elder to help you out. You must make decisions about career goals and even personal goals you must also accept responsibility for maintaining a residence, and obtaining the financial needs to support yourself. These decisions are very important because these are the decisions that you will have to live with for the rest of your life. Achieving a separate identity is very important and you must be able to do so if you want to become an adult.              Being an adult means entering the world of work. You must be able to find a job and be willing to work enough to support yourself              ...

Continue reading this essay Continue reading

Page 1 of 3

More Essays: