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 8
... lives. Let's look at each of these features in turn. The Age of Identity Explorations Perhaps the most central feature of emerging adulthood is that it is the time when young people explore possibilities for their lives in a variety of ...
... lives. Let's look at each of these features in turn. The Age of Identity Explorations Perhaps the most central feature of emerging adulthood is that it is the time when young people explore possibilities for their lives in a variety of ...
Page 13
... of who they are and what they want from life, and begin to build a foundation for their adult lives. The goal of their self-focusing is self - sufficiency , learning to stand alone as a. A Longer Road to Adulthood 13 •
... of who they are and what they want from life, and begin to build a foundation for their adult lives. The goal of their self-focusing is self - sufficiency , learning to stand alone as a. A Longer Road to Adulthood 13 •
Page 14
... live in their parents ' home and are required to attend secondary school , and young adulthood , when most people have entered marriage and parenthood and have settled into a stable occupational path . In between the restrictions of ...
... live in their parents ' home and are required to attend secondary school , and young adulthood , when most people have entered marriage and parenthood and have settled into a stable occupational path . In between the restrictions of ...
Page 16
... lives. For those who have come from troubled families, this is their chance to try to straighten the parts of themselves that have become twisted. We will see some examples of dramatic transformations in chapter 9. Even for those who ...
... lives. For those who have come from troubled families, this is their chance to try to straighten the parts of themselves that have become twisted. We will see some examples of dramatic transformations in chapter 9. Even for those who ...
Page 17
... lives in profound ways.29 Regardless of their family background, all emerging adults carry their family influences ... live is greater than it has ever been before and greater than it will ever be again. Who. Needs. Emerging. Adulthood? Who ...
... lives in profound ways.29 Regardless of their family background, all emerging adults carry their family influences ... live is greater than it has ever been before and greater than it will ever be again. Who. Needs. Emerging. Adulthood? Who ...
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 |
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Emerging Adulthood: The Winding Road from the Late Teens through the Twenties Jeffrey Jensen Arnett No preview available - 2004 |
Common terms and phrases
adolescence African Americans Arnett Asian Americans becoming an adult believe better boyfriend career Catholic Cathy Guisewite chapter child childhood Chinese American choice church cohabitation collectivism collectivistic commitment course decide deists divorce dreams early twenties enter college entering marriage especially ethnic group experience father friends goals Goldscheider graduate happy high school hope identity explorations important Internet dating kids kind late teens late twenties Latinos leaving home less living at home look love partners Lynn Johnston major marriage and parenthood married McJobs mean mother move parents divorced person Popenoe & Whitehead possible premarital premarital sex reach emerging adulthood reached adulthood relationship religious beliefs responsibilities rience self-focused sexual sexual intercourse sexual revolution social someone stressful teens and early There’s things transition to adulthood values young adulthood young women