Developmental Stages: Observations

In the course of human life, people keep changing their characteristics according to the cultural, physical, environmental and psychological environment that they are exposed to. With age, the thinking, feeling and behaviors of every human being keep changing. There are several developmental stages that any human being passes through. These stages are childhood, adolescence, adult development, and aging. In the various stages, every human has different characteristics that distinguish them from other people. Some of the main fields that change is experienced are socio-emotional development, cognitive development, and physical development. This paper is going to focus on adult development and the different categories of this stage. The adult development stage covers early adulthood, middle adulthood, late adulthood, and aging. 

The changes that occur in every stage of adult development can be gradual or rapid. As the adult goes through the various changes, he can experience either positive, negative or no effects. Adulthood can be described by both socio-cultural and legal definitions. Legally, an adult is the person who has reached the age of majority. In most countries, the age of the majority is 18 but it ranges between 16 and 21 depending on cultures. The socio-cultural definition of an adult is determined by what a specific culture considers as the right criteria to achieve adulthood. This research seeks to analyze the question, how do public policies and culture influence adult development? The paper will employ a cross-sectional developmental design to answer the research question. 

Early Adulthood 

Early adulthood can be described as the stage in life between 18 and 30 years. This is the stage of life where young adults try to become more independent from their families and try different possibilities in life. This stage of life is characterized by young adults trying to establish their identities and careers, achieving autonomy from their families, forming intimate relationships, and developing emotional stability. Additionally, young adults are predisposed towards changes such as suboptimal decision making which results in limited self-control, lack of consideration of consequences, and increased sensitivity towards their peers (Bonnie, Breiner, & Stroud, 2015). 

Young adults develop differently depending on their cultural backgrounds and public policies around them. In Ireland, the country has a department that handles matters regarding the policies that affect young adults. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs caters for matters such as young adults’ participation, education and youth justice (Citizens Information Centre, 2017). The department developed a national policy framework in 2014 that focuses on the outcomes of young adults (C.1.C, 2017). These outcomes are such as physical and mental health, protection from harm, economic opportunities, and development in areas such as learning. With these policies put in place, young adults in Ireland are guaranteed a successful early adulthood stage. 

Middle Adulthood 

Middle adulthood can be defined as the period after young adulthood but before the beginning of old age. Adults in this age of adulthood are characterized by community involvement, relationships and family development, growth of careers and seeking a sexual identity. The domains that characterize the lives of heterosexual middle aged adults are similar to those that influence the lives of LGBT adults. However, some domains such as parenthood and marriage are influenced by cultural factors (Institution of Medicine Committee on LGBT Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities, 2011). Other domains that are affected by culture are community involvement, social support, and relationships. The development of LGB middle-aged adults is influenced by the contextual factors affecting their lives. 

Late Adulthood 

Late adulthood is the stage that begins at 65 years. This age group is characterized by people who display characteristics of people with reduced physical, social and cognitive capabilities. Additionally, people in this age group tend to retire from their careers and seek the meaning of life while pursuing cultural values. The changes that are caused by aging are different in every person and they do not necessarily mean that the health of the individuals would be affected. 

The differences in cultures determine how individuals age. Individuals that grow up in independent cultures usually value the importance of autonomy from a young age (Fung, 2013). This valuation of autonomy is applied even in older ages when older people retire and live their personal lives. Individuals that are brought up in interdependent cultures tend to see themselves as part of a society. Older people who grow up within such cultures tend to realize the need of being surrounded by their families during their retirement period. The cultural values that the older people learn during their lifetime are applied even during late adulthood. The older adults try to find the meaning of life while living by their cultural values. The search for a meaning of life is inspired by the sense of limited time (Fung, 2013). 

The life of individuals in the late adulthood stage is influenced by the policies of the county’s that they live in especially matters concerning retirement. Retirement policies vary from country to country. In the United Kingdom, the government abolished the policy that gave employers the right to fire employees above the age of 65 (Moran, 2018). However, the employees can begin collecting their pension at this age. Pensions play an important role in the quality of life of retired individuals especially those who do not have sufficient savings. In SSingapore, the retirement age of employees is 62 (Moran, 2018). The policies in the country give employers the right to deduct the salaries of older employees after proving the reduction of productivity. 

Elderly 

The elderly people in society are those whose ages are within the life expectancy of human beings. The elderly are characterized by susceptibility to diseases and a change in emotional and social functioning. The elderly people in society have weaker immune systems that predispose them to diseases. To protect the aged, governments of different countries provide policies that cater for the health of the seniors. In the United States, there are some laws and acts that directly affect the elderly le. The Older Americans Act strengthens and modernizes aging services in order to ensure that the different needs of the elderly people are taken care of (National Council on Aging, 2012). The act provides funds for programs that ensure seniors in the country are healthy and independent. The United States Congress provided a long term program that helps the elderly to fund their Medicare. 

The social and emotional feelings they experience are more predictable and their social interactions are reduced (Charles & Carstensen, 2014). Additionally, the elderly tend to engage in fewer but meaningful relationships. Elderly people who grow up within a culture of interdependence prefer to have closer relationships with their families as they age. They invest their time in meaningful relationships as they come into terms with their mortality. 

Conclusion 

Culture and public policies affect the different stages of adult development differently. The young adults try to seek autonomy while establishing personal relationships. Adults in middle adulthood tend to involve themselves more with matters concerning the community while developing their personal relationships. In late adulthood, adults tend to have reduced cognitive and physical capabilities. Additionally, the adults terminate their careers while seeking meaning to life and living by their cultural values. The elderly people are characterized by reduced emotional and social functioning and susceptibility to diseases. The various stages in adult development experience different effects from culture and public policies. 

References  

Bonnie, R.J., Stroud, C., & Breiner, H. (2015). Young Adults in the 21st Century. National Academis Press. 

Charles, S. & Carstensen, (2014). Social and Emotional Aging. Annual Review of Psychology, 61: 383-409. Doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100448 

Citizens Information Centre. (2017). National Policy on Children and Young People. Retrieved from: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth_family_relationships/children_s_rights_and_policy/national_children_s_strategy.html 

Fung, H.H. (2013). Aging in Culture. The Gerontologist, 53:3, 369-377 

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities (2011). The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding. National Academics Press. 

Moran, P. (2018). Retirement Plans From Around the World. Retrieved from: https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0412/retirement-plans-from-around-the-world.aspx 

National Council on Aging, (2012). Top 6 Policy Issues Affecting Seniors in 2012. Retrieved from: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/top-6-policy-issues-affecting-seniors-in-2012-137909373.html 

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