In today’s world, many young people are growing up and are beginning their adult lives. Teenagers are graduating school and are moving onto finding their own paths in the world. Some go to school, begin working, chasing their careers and goals. But in a recent study, it seems as if some are slacking, and are taking longer to grow up. An author, by the name of Robin Marantz Henig writes on how “20-something” year olds are slowing down reaching certain milestones that many adults before them have reached at their age. Special milestones such as completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, settling down with a spouse and having children. The idea that many of today’s adults aren’t assessing these goals they way their elders have comes from a term created called “emerging …show more content…
The term comes from psychology professor Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, who has studied the traits of emerging adulthood traits of individuals in their 20s. Henig uses Arnett’s studies to explain the epidemic of these young
In today’s culture, the number of issues that the average person has to face on a daily basis, are astronomical. Millennials, in particular, have been greatly affected by this, so much so that a new phase in the human lifespan has been created just for them! Dubbed “emerging adulthood” by psychologist Jeffrey Arnett, plopped smack dab in the middle of adolescence, and adulthood, this phase captures any, and all doubts that 20-29 year olds are plagued with. From their economic standing, to racial, ethnic, and identity issues, and to disabilities ranging from both mental, and physical, this phase captures every single uncertainty, fear, and qualm that one person can possibly have in a neat little package.
It is ironic that how some children are able to present themselves more mature than adults. The youth of the generation is becoming more mature and are developing adult skills faster than ever. People are beginning to wonder about the age of adulthood and how it should be determined. This controversy beleaguers around privileges such as drinking, driving, and voting. According to the article What is the Age of Responsibility by Alan Greenblatt, society determines that a person is an adult through customary rites, legal rights, and one’s responsibilities. However, I believe that the best way to adulthood is shown through one’s obligation for their priorities and work.
Arnett may not be inaccurate as he explains the differences in young adults today as previous generations based on the timing roles take place, nonetheless suggesting it as a novel universal stage causes concern globally. As mentioned in Cote’s 2014, Dangerous Myth of Emerged Adulthood, Arnett’s theory cannot be correct for all 18-29 year olds, nor did Arnett explore other countries across different demographics or non-college students, (L. Drew, Emerging Adulthood lecture, August 26th, 2015). Young adults appear to bounce around the workforce, however it could be because young adults are accepting employment they are not favorable of to aid them through college where at that point they can inevitably find the career they intend on keeping, opposed to Arnett’s reasoning for this to be “identity explorations,” (Cote, 2014, pp. 184). Arnett’s theory may be plausible for a selection of people in industrialized societies where their behavior can be seen as prolonging their “adulthood”. For example, young adults not feeling like an adult and who search for self-exploration, on the other hand perhaps he should consider a innovative term other than a developmental stage in life universally, (Arnett, 2000, pp. 479).
Adulthood is the time in life when a person has reached maturity and is aware of the responsibilities that they have to take on. People’s lives are centered on their careers and relationships, leaving less time for much of anything else. Adulthood has three different stages; there is young adulthood (18-40), middle adulthood (41-65), and late adulthood (65-to death), according to Levinson’s Seasons of Life (Levinson, 2010). Individuals experience so many changes to their physical body, cognitive abilities and social development throughout different stages of life. Looking at all the differences that are experienced during these stages of development in early, middle and late adulthood. As an individual we may experience many changes in the body and the mind but the changes in
Jeffrey Arnott’s theory of “emerging adulthood” provides a context in which I can evaluate my life in terms of my remerging development into adulthood. I am in my early twenties. Physically, I am a fully developed female that understands my own biological functions with great awareness. Cognitively, I am in the process of developing critical thinking skills by attending college, which has allowed me to develop my own ways of processing thoughts and ideas outside of my family and high school. This cognitive development is a very difficult process, which continually engages me to open my mind and learn new ways of thinking about life, society, and mental development. Socially, I am also developing a broader sense of cultural, racial, and think
Emerging Adulthood represents the period of development from late teens through their twenties, mainly focusing on the ages 18-25. This is the period which people start exploring and realizing the capabilities of their lives, which then helps them characterize as adults and no longer teenagers. This topic of psychology is compelling to me because it’s a stage that every adult has lived through, it’s interesting that we have all experienced it differently based on our life circumstances and demographics. It’s interesting to see the changes throughout the years and eventually it will be easier for young people to explore these years as more young adults are going to school nowadays. It teaches me to further understand why emerging adults go through
Generativity versus stagnation, Erikson's seventh developmental stage, occurs during middle adulthood. By generativity Erikson means primarily “a concern for helping the younger generation to develop and lead useful lives. The feeling of having done nothing to help the next generation is stagnation” (Santrock, 2013, p. 23). Both individuals indicated that they were content with the amount of help and mentoring that they had performed for the younger generation. Both are currently involved in mentoring college-aged individuals.
Extensive demographic and cultural shifts have taken place over the past few decades that have made late adolescence and early twenties into a new transitional developmental period known as emerging adulthood for young individuals across industrialized societies. Arnett (2000) argues that emerging adulthood is a “distinct period of the life course” that is “characterized by change and exploration of possible life directions” (469). Additionally, a critical area of identity exploration during emerging adulthood is love and romantic relationships. Arnett contends that “demographic changes in the timing of marriage and parenthood in recent decades has led to prolonged periods of adolescence and delayed adulthood transitions” (470). By postponing
American teenagers are often criticized for being irresponsible and immature. Some in the older generation will also state that kids are taking too long to move out of the house. These views of young adults are pessimistic and demeaning to the current generation. While the adolescent stage has been extended, American kids are taking an ample amount of time to accept the responsibilities of becoming an adult.
Emerging adults are always in the search of their own identity while experimenting with their life, love life and career path. Constant changes in emerging adult’s life are common. From changing residential place to love life, work and education, instability often presents during emerging adulthood (Santrock, 2013). In addition, emerging adults tend to place focus on themselves where they have no commitment and responsibilities toward others. This provides them a great chance to exercise their own will and to execute their plans for the future. During emerging adulthood, many feel like as if they do not belong to either adolescents or adult. The transition ends only when they have distinct marks of an adult. According to Arnett (as cited in Santrock, 2014), “emerging adulthood is the age of possibilities” (p. 296). The age of possibilities is when an individual has the opportunity to turn things around in life, especially when they are from a poor family
“Definitions of ‘youth’ in Western societies usually refer to the life stage between childhood and adulthood, the transitional period between being dependant and becoming independent” (Kehily, 2007). The age of this transition can be best defined by the House of Commons as starting at 16 and ending at 24 years old (2013). This transition from youth to adulthood has altered considerably in recent years; the traditional norms and values that youth once followed are no longer respected or easily attained. Current youth have very different life styles and expectations, consequently; adolescents are taking longer to complete the transition into adulthood. Twenty-five years ago the traditional norms we...
According to the article, “Grow Up? Not So Fast”, Lev Grossman states that the phenomenon of “twixters” is becoming more common and usual. “Twixters” who are from 18 to 25 and even beyond have become separate life stage. In other words, they are trapped between adolescence and adulthood. Twixters do not want to grow up too fast and step into the adult world. Some of the sociologists believed that it is a chance to let the young generation to choose their life style and search their goal. However, some of the economist believed that the cultural machinery used to turn kids into grownups has broken down. However, this phenomenon is not only caused by the moral of the society but also the economy of the society. Therefore, Lev Grossman concludes that the new generation is hard to grow up than it used to be.
“Definitions of ‘youth’ in Western societies usually refer to the life stage between childhood and adulthood, the transitional period between being dependant and becoming independent” (Kehily, 2007). The age of this transition can be best defined by the House of Commons as starting at 16 and ending at 24 years old (2013). This transition from youth to adulthood has altered considerably in recent years; the traditional norms and values that youth once followed are no longer respected or easily attained. Current youth have very different life styles and expectations, consequently; adolescents are taking longer to complete the transition into adulthood. Twenty-five years ago the traditional norms were to get a job straight after school, start courting, get married, save up enough money to set up home and eventually start a family. The fact that this is no longer the norm for the majority of youth reflects that the changes in education, employment, housing, and benefits have affected the model of transition significantly.
Some two hundred years ago, during the Industrial Revolution, it was not uncommon to see children as young as four years old working in dangerous factories. Of course, we've come a long way from those irresponsible practices, but now researchers and child psychologists are proposing we move even further away from that. They claim that the new age for the end adolescence should be 25 years old and call for social change because the brain is not fully developed at the current adult age of 18. Instead, raising the end of adolescence to the age 25 will have serious economic and social repercussions because it not only promotes an unmotivated attitude in young adults but, it also disables them from being independent.
Middle adulthood is considered a period where self-acceptance is most favorable, increasing psychological well-being and life satisfaction (Arnett, 2015). During this phase in development, adults become more secure with themselves and are honest to their true selves instead of acting or pretending to be someone different. This new-found identity development is strengthened by a heightened sense of self-understanding (Arnett, 2016).