Early-Adulthood-2033

EarlyAdulthoodJustwhenadulthoodbeginsisdifficulttosay.Inalegalsense,adultstatusisoftengrantedbygovernments–atage18forsomeactivitiesor21forothers.Psychologicallyspeaking,adulthoodismarkedbytwopossibilitiesthatatfirstseemcontradictory:(1)independence,inthesenseoftakingresponsibilityforone’sactionsandnolongerbeingtiedtoparents,and(2)interdependence,inthesenseofbuildingnewcommitmentsandintimaciesininterpersonalrelationships.Inthepast,therewaslittleargumentthatadulthoodabruptlyfollowedtheendofadolescence.However,somepsychologistshavebeguntoarguethatthereisanin-betweenperiodwhentheindividualisnolongeranadolescent,buthasnotyettakenonfulladulthoodstatusandresponsibility.Thisperiodhasbeencalledemergingadulthood,atermcoinedin2000bypsychologistJ.J.Arnett.AccordingtoArnett,youngpeoplefromtheirlateteenstolatetwentiesareincreasinglygoingthroughanexperimentalperiodofself-exploration.Theyaredelayingmarriageandexperimentingwithworkandlove.Theyarealsolikelytostillbesomewhatdependentontheirparents,whomaycontinuetogivethembothfinancialandemotionalsupport.Arnettdescribesthepsychologicaloutlookofyoungpeopleintheirlateteenstolatetwentiesasbeingverydifferentfromtheoutlookofyoungpeopleofthesameage50yearsearlier.Youngpeopleofthaterawere“eagertoenteradulthoodandsettledown,”especiallythewomen.However,hisclaimisthattheemergingadultsofthe21stcenturyhaveaverydifferentattitude.Marriage,home,andchildrenareseenbymostofthemnotasachievementstobepursuedbutasproblemstobeavoided.Itisnotthatmostofthemdonotwantmarriageand(oneortwo)children–eventually.Themajorityofthemdowanttotakeontheseadultobligationsandwillhavedonesobythetimetheyreachtheageof30.However,intheirlateteensandearlytwenties,theypondertheseobligationsandsay,“Someday,butnotyet.”Adulthoodanditsobligationsoffersecurityandstability,buttheyalsorepresentclosingdoors–theendofindependence,theendofspontaneity,andtheendofasenseof“anythingispossible.”Arnettfurtherpointsoutthatthestrugglesofidentityformationthatoccurinadolescenceextendintoemergingadulthood.Itisaperiodofanxietyanduncertainty.Whenmovingtowardfulladultstatus,theindividualfacesnewandoftendifficultchoices.ShouldIgetmarriedorstaysingle?CanIlivealone?I’llhavetogetajob,butwhichone?WhatcareershouldIdedicatemylifeto?DoIneedmoreeducation?Howmuch?DoIwantchildren?Howmany?DoIactnowwhileI’myoung,ormakedecisionslaterwhenIhavemoreexperience?Therearethreespecificareaswheremostoftheanxietycomefromforemergingadults:work,marriage,andchildren.Oneofthemostpressingdecisionsatthistimeofone’slifeiswhatcareertopursue.However,withsomanypossibilitiesfromwhichtochoose,thisdecisionisoftenanextremelydifficultonetomake.Inaddition,therearemanyfactorsthatmayinfluenceanindividualinthechoiceofacareer,andsomeofthesemaybeconflicting.Forexample,familypressure,thepotentialforearningmoney,andone’sownpersonalinterestsandtalentsmayallbefactorsthatpullanindividualindifferentdirectionswhentryingtodecidewhatcareerpathtofollow.Also,theprocessoffindingtherightcareermaytakealongtime.Itisnotuncommonanymoreforanindividualtotrymorethanonecareerbeforefindingtheonethatleadstorealsatisfaction.TheotherpressingdecisionduringtheseyearsrevolvesaroundwhatArnettdescribesasthebasicchoiceofintimacyversusisolation.Failuretoestablishclose,loving,orintimaterelationshipsresultsinlonelinessandlongperiodsofsocialisolation.Moretypically,howeverthisconflictresultsinalovingmonogamousrelationshipwhichleadstomarriage.Marriageiscertainlynottheonlysourceofinterpersonalintimacy,butitisstillthefirstchoiceofmostAmericans.While90percentofAmericansdomarry,theageatwhichthathappensismovingsteadilyupward.Whentomarryisasignificantissueforemergingadults,especiallyforthewomen.Overthepastfourdecades,rolesofwomenhavechangedsignificantly.Itisnowcommonandacceptableforyoungwomentoliveontheirown,makingtheirownmoney,forseveralyearsbeforedecidingtomarry.Therearesignificantlymoreopportunitiesforcareeradvancement,homeownership,andtravelopentoyoungwomentodaythantherewereagenerationago,andthisindependentlifestyleisnolongerconsideredunusual.Becomingaparentisgenerallytakenasasuresignofadulthood.Yethereagainyoungpeopleallaroundtheworldareputtingoffhavingtheirfirstbabyuntilmuchlaterthanearliergenerations.Inseveraldevelopedcountries,theaverageageforawomantohaveherfirstchildisalmost30,comparedto25justtenyearsago.Oncethereisababyaroundthehouse,establishedroutinesbecomesignificantlychanged,oftenleadingtonegativeconsequences.Thefreedomforspontaneoustrips,specialoutings,andpersonalprivacyisinlargemeasuretradedforthejoysofparenthood.Thenewrolesofmotherandfatheraddcomplexitytothealreadyestablishedrolesofmaleorfemale,sonordaughter,husbandorwife,andnavigatingthedemandsofallthoseisstressful.Clearlyemergingadulthoodisatimeofstress.Itisthetimeforkeepingabalancebetweenyourownneedsandwishesandtheincreasingdemandsofjob,family,andsocietyatlarge.Fortunately,intermsofphysicalandmentaldevelopment,peopleareatapeakduringthe20and30s.Arnettcallsemergingadulthoodtheeraofbothgreatestenergyandgreateststress,butnotesthatmostpeoplemanagetosurviveandevenflourish