UNIT 01

INTRODUCTION
CONCEPTS OF YOUTH:
TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD
 The transition to adulthood is a complex process in which youth who have been
dependent on parents throughout childhood, start taking definitive steps to
achieve measures of financial, residential and emotional independence and to take
on more adult roles as citizen, spouse, parent ad worker.
 The transition can be a period of growth and accomplishment.
 The transition to adulthood can takes place in different orders and over a wide
range of ages from the teens through the mid to lates 20s and beyond, and most
youth successfully makes these transitions.
 However, many youth experience setbacks early by becoming parents too soon,
dropping out of school, failing to find work, or getting trouble with legal system.
 These experiences not only make the transition to adulthood more difficult, but
can also have long- lasting effects by compromising a youth’s potential to
provide for himself or herself in adulthood, and by increasing the risk that a
youth’s own offspring will experience the same negative outcomes.
PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL- BEING

 There are 6 factors which are considered as key components that makes up the
definition of psychological well- being:
 1. Self- Acceptance: positive evaluations of oneself.
 2. Positive interpersonal relations: close, warm relationship with others.
 3. Autonomy: self- determination.
 4. Environmental Mastery: sense of effectiveness ain mastering circumstances
and challenges.
 5. Purpose in life: a sense of meaning that gives one’s life a sense of direction
and purpose.
 6. Personal Growth: improvement and growth.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL
CHANGES DURING TRANSITION
 By the end of adolescence, most people are capable of the levels of reasoning that
we would expect for normal functioning in adult society.
 Although there are wide individual differences in attainment, most young adults
are able to deal with cognitive tasks in a more abstract way than before, and to
attain solutions to problems by comparing possible explanations.
STAGES OF ADULTHOOD
 1. EARLT ADULTHOOD (20-40 years)
 the physical maturation is complete, although our height and weight may increase
slightly.
 The physical abilities are at its peak.
 Around the age of 30, many changes begin to occur in different parts of the body.
 This is the time of establishing personal and economic independence.
 Developing a career
 Selecting a mate.
 Learning to live with someone in an intimate way.
 Starting a family
 Rearing children.
 As the cognitive development progresses, adults gain knowledge, but ways of
thinking are the same as those of adolescents.
 Individuals become realistic in thinking.
 They are open to emotions and become very subjective.
 2. MIDDLE ADULTHOOD (40-65 YEARS)
 The ageing process becomes more apparent.
 Around the age of 60, the eyes lose their ability to adjust to objects at varying
distances.
 Some fo them would require corrective lenses for vision deficits.
 Skin continues to dry out and is prone to more wrinkling, particularly on the
sensitive face area.
 Age spots and blood vessels become more apparent as the skin continues to dry
and get thinner.
 Women experience a gradual decline in fertility as they approach the onset of
menopause- the end of menstrual cycle around 50 years.
 This involves hormonal changes and may last anywhere from 6 months to 5 years.
 Women as they are experiencing menopause, they have wide rage of other
symptoms such as anxiety, poor memory, inability to concentrate, depressive
mood, irritability, mood swings and less interest in sexual activity.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT IN
MIDDLE ADULTHOOD
 Individuals accumulated information and verbal skills increases in middle
adulthood.
 One’s ability to reason abstractly begins to decline in middle adulthood.
 The numerical and perceptual speed declines.
 The vocabulary, verbal memory improves after early adulthood.
 3. LATE ADULTHOOD (60s and Lasts till DEATH)
 It Is the time of adjusting to retirement.
 Decreasing strength and health.
 New social roles
 Reviewing one’s life.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
CHANGES
 Older people do tend to perform less well than younger adults on tasks dependent
upon reaction time and processing speed.
 While there is variation between age groups on some measures of intellectual
performance, there is also a great variation within groups- and this variation
within groups increases with age.
EXTENDED YOUTH IN THE INDIAN
CONTEXT
 Extended youth in Indian society refers to the phenomenon where young
adults in India are staying unmarried and financially dependent on their
parents for longer periods than in previous generations.
 This trend is a result of several factors, including increased access to
education, changes in social attitudes towards marriage and career, and
economic uncertainty.
 One of the primary reasons for extended youth in Indian society is the
growing emphasis on education and career development.
 Young adults are now pursuing higher education and professional
qualifications, which often takes longer to complete than in the past. They
are also seeking jobs in competitive fields that require a higher level of
expertise and experience, which can take time to develop.
 Another factor contributing to extended youth in India is the changing social
attitudes towards marriage.
 Many young adults are now choosing to delay or forgo marriage, preferring to focus
on their career goals and personal development.
 This shift in attitude is a departure from traditional Indian cultural norms, which
place a high value on marriage and family.
 Finally, economic uncertainty is also a contributing factor to extended youth in
Indian society.
 The high cost of living, coupled with limited job opportunities, makes it difficult for
young adults to become financially independent.
 As a result, they may continue to rely on their parents for financial support well into
their twenties and thirties.
 Overall, extended youth in Indian society is a complex and multifaceted
phenomenon that reflects the changing attitudes and values of young adults in
India. While there are both positive and negative aspects to this trend, it is clear
that it is here to stay and will continue to shape Indian society in the years to
come.
CONCEPTS OF GENDER

 “Sex” refers to the physical differences between people who are male, female, or
intersex.

 A person typically has their sex assigned at birth based on physiological

characteristics, including their genitalia and chromosome composition. This
assigned sex is called a person’s “natal sex.”

 Gender identity: This refers to an individual's sense of self as male, female, or

another gender.

 Gender identity can be influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors.

 Sexual orientation refers to a person's enduring pattern of romantic, emotional,
and/or sexual attractions to people of a particular gender or genders.
 The most commonly recognized sexual orientations are heterosexual (attraction to
people of the opposite gender), homosexual (attraction to people of the same
gender), and bisexual (attraction to people of both genders).
 Other sexual orientations that are recognized and accepted by many people
include asexual (lack of sexual attraction to anyone), pansexual (attraction to
people regardless of their gender), and queer (an umbrella term that can
encompass a variety of non-heterosexual orientations).
 It's important to note that sexual orientation is a complex and multifaceted aspect
of a person's identity, and individuals may experience their orientation in different
ways.
 Gender roles refer to societal expectations and norms about how men and women
should behave, think, and act based on their gender.
 These roles can vary across cultures and time periods, but they often involve
stereotypes about what is considered appropriate behavior for each gender.
 However, there has been a growing recognition that gender roles are not fixed or
innate, but are socially constructed and can be changed. Many individuals and
groups are challenging traditional gender roles and advocating for more gender
equality and diversity in society.
 It is important to note that gender roles and gender identity are not the same thing.
Gender identity refers to an individual's internal sense of their own gender, while
gender roles are the external expectations and norms placed upon individuals
based on their gender.
 Gender role attitudes refer to the beliefs and attitudes that individuals hold about
the appropriate roles, behaviors, and characteristics for men and women in
society. These attitudes can vary widely between cultures, generations, and
individuals, and can have a significant impact on how people view and interact
with others of different genders.
 Research has shown that gender role attitudes can have a significant impact on a
wide range of social and psychological outcomes, including educational and
career opportunities, relationship satisfaction, mental health, and overall well-
being.
 As such, it is important for individuals and societies to critically examine and
challenge traditional gender role attitudes in order to promote greater equality and
diversity.
 Gender stereotypes are generalizations and preconceived notions about the
characteristics, roles, behaviors, and abilities of individuals based on their gender.
These stereotypes can affect how people perceive themselves and others, and they
can also limit opportunities and create unequal treatment and expectations.
 Common gender stereotypes include beliefs that women are emotional, nurturing,
and should prioritize family over career, while men are strong, rational, and
should prioritize career over family.
 These stereotypes can be harmful and limit individuals from achieving their full
potential, as they can lead to discrimination and bias in education, employment,
and other areas of life.
 It is important to recognize and challenge gender stereotypes to promote equality
and respect for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.
CONCEPTS OF IDENTITY:
MULTIPLE IDENTITIES
 Multiple identities refer to the concept of individuals having more than one identity,
either in terms of their social roles or their personal identities.
 This can be seen in a variety of contexts, such as online personas, alter egos, or
multiple roles in different social groups.
 In some cases, individuals may deliberately create multiple identities as a way of
protecting their privacy or maintaining different aspects of their lives separate from
one another.
 For example, someone may use different usernames on different social media
platforms to keep their personal and professional lives separate.
 In other cases, multiple identities may be an unintended consequence of participating
in various social groups, each with its own norms and expectations. For example,
someone may behave differently at work than they do with their friends or family.
 While having multiple identities can have benefits, such as allowing individuals to
explore different aspects of themselves or providing a sense of privacy, it can also
lead to confusion or feelings of inauthenticity.
 It is important to strike a balance between maintaining different identities and
staying true to oneself.