An interesting aspect worthy of consideration within the theory of early adulthood is the sexual activity of young adults in the States. Quite mass surveys are conducted in the country regarding this aspect of life, however, tests of a smaller scale are also relevant. Worthy of attention is the fact that sexual practices in the West, despite the diversity, are not ubiquitous, despite the sexualization of images in the mass media. Growing up in adolescence is accompanied, however, by promiscuous relationships or casual relationships without commitment, especially during the college years.
Media also influences a person’s perception of a partner. Social networks, often used by young people for dating, lead to the rapid development of relationships, but also rush their completion. The situation is that people, during a short time of intensive online communication, can imagine exaggerated, idealized versions of their desired partners, which leads to frustration (Berk, 2018). At a young age, couples tend not to commit to marriage, but rather to co-exist in romantic relationships to test the value of the relationship to each other. Manifestations of sexuality are thus tools of social integration and recognition of one’s personality in the process of becoming an adult.
Important for discussing changes in human behavior and consciousness at the onset of early adulthood is the transformation of the vector of cognitive development. Psychologist William Perry points to the formation of epistemic consciousness, which is more inquisitive and reflective (Berk, 2018). The very logic of the episteme implies the awareness of how established concepts and beliefs are born in a person, which affects the conclusions and decision-making. In particular, this type of thinking is formed by university education. It is proved that after four years of study, students usually change their social roles and at the same time change their ideas about the nature of knowledge. Epistemic consciousness can be divided into two stages of thinking – dualistic and relativistic. The former is more like a strict logic of binary oppositions, while the latter rejects absolute truth in the ongoing search for knowledge. Thus, thinking gradually becomes more flexible and self-evaluating in the process of forming a new type of consciousness in early adulthood.
Work Cited
Berk, Laura A. Exploring lifespan development. Pearson, 2018.