Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens through the TwentiesRecently the lives of people from age 18 to 29 have changed so dramatically that a new stage of life has developed, emerging adulthood, that is distinct from both the adolescence that precedes it and the young adulthood that comes in its wake. Rather than marrying and becoming parents in their early twenties, most people in industrialized societies now postpone these transitions until at least their late twenties, and instead spend the time in self-focused exploration as they try out different possibilities in their careers and relationships. In Emerging Adulthood, Jeffrey Jensen Arnett identifies and labels, for the first time, this period exploration, instability, possibility, self-focus, and a sustained sense of being in limbo. An increasing number of emerging adults emphasize having meaningful and satisfying work to a degree not seen in prior generations. Marrying later and exploring more casual sexual relationships have created different hopes and fears concerning long-term commitments and the differences between love and sex. Emerging adults also face the challenge of defending their non-traditional lifestyles to parents and others outside their generation who have made much more traditional choices. In contrast to previous portrayals of emerging adults, Arnett's research shows that they are particularly skilled at maintaining contradictory emotions--they are confident while still being wary, and optimistic in the face of large degrees of uncertainty. As the demographics of American youth, the American workplace, and adulthood continue to evolve, Emerging Adulthood is indispensable reading for anyone wanting to understand the face of modern America. |
From inside the book
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Page 9
... kind of person am I, and what kind ofperson would suit me best as a partner through life?” By becoming involved with different people, emerging adults learn about the qualities that are most important to them in another person, both the ...
... kind of person am I, and what kind ofperson would suit me best as a partner through life?” By becoming involved with different people, emerging adults learn about the qualities that are most important to them in another person, both the ...
Page 10
... kind of play, part of gaining a broad range of life experiences before “settling down” and taking on the responsibilities of adult life. Emerging adults realize they are free in ways they will not be during their thirties and beyond ...
... kind of play, part of gaining a broad range of life experiences before “settling down” and taking on the responsibilities of adult life. Emerging adults realize they are free in ways they will not be during their thirties and beyond ...
Page 11
... kind of future they want. But even if they succeed in doing so, that does not mean the instability of emerging adulthood is easy. Sometimes emerging adults look back wistfully on their high school years. Most of them remember those ...
... kind of future they want. But even if they succeed in doing so, that does not mean the instability of emerging adulthood is easy. Sometimes emerging adults look back wistfully on their high school years. Most of them remember those ...
Page 16
... kind of person they wish to be and how they wish to live. During emerging adulthood they have an exceptionally wide scope for making their own decisions. Eventually, virtually all emerging adults will enter new, long-term obligations in ...
... kind of person they wish to be and how they wish to live. During emerging adulthood they have an exceptionally wide scope for making their own decisions. Eventually, virtually all emerging adults will enter new, long-term obligations in ...
Page 29
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Contents
3 | |
2 What Is It Like to Be an Emerging Adult? Four Profiles | 27 |
A New Relationship With Parents | 47 |
4 Love and Sex | 73 |
5 Meandering Toward Marriage | 97 |
Twists and Turns | 119 |
More Than a Job | 143 |
Religious Beliefs and Values | 165 |
Four Case Studies | 189 |
What Does It Mean to Become an Adult? | 207 |
Notes | 229 |
References | 247 |
Index of Names | 259 |
General Index | 263 |
Other editions - View all
Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens through the Twenties Jeffrey Jensen Arnett No preview available - 2004 |
Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens Through the Twenties Jeffrey Jensen Arnett No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
able adolescence African Americans American Asian asked attend become believe better career chapter child choices church classes cohabitation commitment course dating decide decisions described divorce don’t early emerging adulthood emerging adults enjoy enter especially ethnic example expect experience exploration father feel friends future going growing happy high school higher hope idea identity important independent interests it’s kind late teens least leave less lives longer look major marriage married mean mother move never once opportunities parents past period person possible problems question reached adulthood reason relationship religious religious beliefs remain responsibility seems sense sexual similar society someone sometimes stressful talk there’s things transition twenties values Whites women young