Introduction
Emerging adulthood
is a life stage extending the transition into young adulthood. What does it
mean to be an adult? What do people consider to be the defining features of
what it means to be an adult? Research shows that there are plenty of
assumptions that surround emerging adults (Arnett 2007). As Arnett (2007)
discusses in his comprehensive review evaluating the inaccurate statements
regarding emerging adults. As noted by Arnett (2007), a key limitation of the
literature is that it demonstrates an inaccurate stereotype of this generations
emerging adults. Arnett (2007) discusses
research that both compliments and criticizes evidence of an emerging adults’ view
of adulthood. Based on his analysis of 42 studies, Arnett (2007) concluded that
assumptions of emerging adults are an inaccurately portrayed. Arnett (2007)
suggested that growing research on emerging adults will serve to displace the
myths that have been presented.
Several recent studies have attempted to answer the
question of what it means to be an adult and why there is a new life stage that
extends the transition to young adulthood? Arnett (2000a) provided evidence
that portrays emerging adulthood as a distinct life stage. Arnett (2000a)
evaluated previous generations and their values and proposed that emerging
adulthood was a new life stage between adolescence and young adulthood, lasting
from the late teens through the mid-to-late twenties. Only a few decades ago
the average age of marriage was 21 for women, this is because it was emphasized
by society and the culture. Arnett (2000a) stated that a key feature of
emerging adulthood is that it is the period of life that offers the most
opportunity for identity explorations in the areas of love, work, and world
views. Identity exploration in emerging adulthood suggests extended period of
risk behaviors, before the responsibilities of adulthood are present.
Blonigen,
Littlefield, Hicks and Sher (2010) study investigated whether changing in
personality vary by course of antisocial behavior during emerging
adulthood. Blonigen et al. (2010) found
a relationship between antisocial behavior and negative mental health.
Suggesting the importance of exploration, rather than isolation in emerging
adults. Also suggesting that identity exploration give opportunity for risk
behaviors in emerging adults. Blonigen et al. (2010) evaluated the limitations
of other theories that neglect the variable of the role of individual
differences in personality. Another limitation found is the variability in the
course of antisocial behavior.
Winzer,
Lindblad, Sorjonen, and Lindberg (2014) conducted a study that found positive
mental health decreases as age increase in emerging adults, but found no age
related differences in negative mental health. Winzer et al. suggest that
differences could be attributed to the prolongation of emerging adulthood with
particular hardships in establishing in work, partnership and housing may
decrease positive mental health, positive mental health does not influence
negative mental health. Limitations of research include the cross-sectional
design, a longitudinal study is would permit predictions about the outcomes.
Another limitation is the validity of the instruments used to measure
identification predictors.
Azmitia, Syed, and Radmacher
(2013) conducted a study that involved emerging adults completing a survey and
a semi-structured interview during the first year of college. Azmitia at el.
(2013) suggested an association between the patterning of mental health and
ethnically and socioeconomically diverse emerging adults’ identities and
emotional support from family, friends and professors during the first year of
college. Azmitia at el. (2013) also suggested that emerging adults’ perception
of a successful transition to college involves constructing a coherent identity
within the context of close relationships. A large diverse sample of
participants limits the assessment between ethnic and socioeconomic variations
in emerging adults, also expanding the study beyond the first year of college.
Dezutter, Waterman,
Schwartz, Lyckz, Meca, Whitbourne, Zamboanga, Lee, Hardy, Forthun, Ritchie,
Weisskirch, Brown, and Caraway (2014) conducted a study that consisted of 8,492
students in order to gain insight to the relation between Presence of Meaning
and Search for meaning and the person-centered patterns formed by combining
dimensions in terms of psychosocial functioning. Dezutter at el. (214) provided
additional insight for how Presence of Meaning and Search for Meaning play a
role in emerging adult psychosocial functioning during the transition to
adulthood. Limitations of Dezutter at el. (2014) regard the sampling method
because this study was not random, rather participants were given credit for
volunteering to participate in the study. Longitudinal studies are necessary to
clarify the direction of the relations between meaning and psychosocial
functioning.
Arnett
(2000b) conducted a study that explored the views of the future among emerging
adults, including not only economic issues but also their views of their
prospects in terms of career achievements, personal relationships, and overall
quality of life. Arnett (2000b) found a sharp distinction between how emerging
adults view their personal futures and how they view their generation’s
perspective on the future.
While
illustrative, the studies reviewed above failed to answer the question of
individual variables within the identity exploration and world views of
emerging adults. To address this gap in the literature, the purpose of the
current study is to compare results that indicate the proactive ambitions of
the extended exploratory stage of emerging adulthood. The study hypothesis is
that emerging adults will emphasize the importance of identity exploration
regarding future goals in adulthood.
Method
Considering the Ethical
Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, research will serve to the
understanding of emerging adults’ perception of the future.
Participants
One hundred participants (50
women and 50 men), ages 18 and older, will volunteer to participate in a
previously developed questionnaire through random sampling, not specifying
race/ethnicity, income or socio-economic background. Participation is voluntary and informed
consent will be obtained.
Measures
The IDEA: Inventory of
Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (Reifman & Arnett, 2007) will be used to
explore individual differences in self-identification within emerging adults.
This self-report questionnaire contains 31 items consisting of six subscales
each measured on a 4-point Likert response scale (Likert, 1932) ranging from 1
(strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Data will be gathered through online
platforms such as Survey Monkey and Sona, along with traditional paper and pen
contribution of retrieving data. An additional sheet of paper will be offered
to discuss any open ended responses to the questions they previously rated.
Procedures
First, Participants will
be recruited through word of mouth, with use of online social networking along
with conveniently approaching individuals in a variety of settings including
but not limited to Salem State University, the North Shore Mall and other public
settings. Then, with informed consent, participants will complete the Inventory
of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood Questionnaire (IDEA) (Reifman & Arnett,
2007). Researchers will then offer the option to participate in additional
open-ended questions similar to those on the questionnaire, the volunteers can
respond to. There will be no restrictions during the selection of volunteers,
except for a minimum age requirement of 18.
Participants will be assessed by their self-reported scores using the
Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood Questionnaire, along with keyed
phrases that occur within the open ended question option. All participants will
be treated in accordance with the American Psychology Association ethical
guidelines.
Results
In this exploratory
study, the independent variable will be the questions acquired from the IDEA
questionnaire and the dependent variable will be the responses acquired from
the IDEA questionnaires’. The categories of Arnett’s emerging adulthood theory
will be evaluated using the IDEA Views of Life Survey. Results from the
participants will be compared to Arnett’s definition and standings of emerging
adulthood. Score on identity exploration, experimentation, possibilities,
negativity/instability, self-focused, other-focused and feeling in between will
be analyzed through use of descriptive statistics like means and standard
deviations will be obtained for the data, and inferential statistics will be applied
to analyze the data.
Discussion
The results of
this study will imply considerations to the exploratory question of what is
considered as defining consider features of what it means to be an adult, and
what the qualifications are when entering adulthood. Comparing the results to
Arnett’s research and to the assumptions discussed of emerging adults. Results
will be compared to previous studies that have also explored the criteria of
emerging adulthood. Implications of the results of emerging adulthood will also
be considered.
Limitations may consist of demographic generalizations,
culture and social class, these will help establish the results. Future
research should prepare a larger sample size along with subjects who do not
attend college to enforce the implications of emerging adulthood. The
importance of the results along with the data collected from the study will be
summarized.
References
Arnett, J. J.
(2000a). Emerging Adulthood. American Psychological Association, 55(5),
469.
Arnett, J. J. (2000b).
High Hopes in a Grim World: Emerging Adults’ View of Their Futures and
“Generation X”. Youth & Society, 31 (3).
“Generation X”. Youth & Society, 31 (3).
Arnett, J. J. (2007).
Suffering, Selfish, Slackers? Myths and Reality About Emerging Adults. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 36.
Azmitia,
M., Syed, M., & Radmacher, K. (2013). Finding Your Niche: Identity and
Emotional Support in Emerging Adults’ Adjustment to the Transition to College. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 23(4).
Blonigen,
D. M., Littlefield, A. K., Hicks, B. M., & Sher, K. J. (2010). Journal of Research in Personality, 44(6),
729-733.
Dezutter, J., Waterman,
A. S., Schwartz, S. J., Lyckz, K., Meca, A., Kim, S. Y., Whitbourne, S. K.,
Zamboanga, B. L., Lee, R. M., Hardy, S. A., Forthun, L. F., Ritchie, R. A.,
Weisskirch, R. S.,m Brown, E. J., & Caraway, S. J. (2014) Meaning in life
in emerging adulthood: A person-oriented approach. Journal of Personality, 82.
Winzer, R., Lindblad, F.,
Sorjonen, K., & Lindberg, L. (2014). Positive versus negative mental health
in emerging adulthood: a national cross-sectional survey. BMC Public Health. 14(1), 1-19.
Likert, R.
(1932). A Technique for the Measurement of Attitudes. Archives of Psychology,
140.
Reifman,
A., Arnett, J. J & Colewell, M. J. (2007, Summer). Emerging adulthood:
Theory, assessment, and application. Journal of Youth Development, 2 (1).
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