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NEW LIFESTAGE DISCOVERED: EMERGING ADULTS. Defined by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, psychology professor at Clark University in the 2000s. 

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NEW LIFESTAGE DISCOVERED: EMERGING ADULTS

Defined   by   Jeffrey   Jensen   Arnett,  psychology   professor   at   Clark  University   in   the   2000s

Age:   18- 30 Young   Adults   who   are   in   limbo   between  adult   responsibility   and   autonomy   and  parental   dependency --   Have   a   job   but   still   get   $   from   parents --   Unemployed   after   college   and   still   living  with   parents   but   “trying   to   find   their   calling” --   Working   a   temporary   job   while   they  “figure  it  out” (“WHAT   IS   IT   ABOUT   20- SOMETHINGS?”   NYT   2010)

EMERGING ADULT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE. CHARACTERIZED BY self- focus identity exploration a sense of possibilities feeling in- between instability the “age 30 deadline” ambivalence. 

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CHARACTERIZED BY self- focus identity   exploration a   sense   of   possibilities  feeling   in- between instability the   “age   30   deadline” ambivalence

(“WHAT   IS   IT   ABOUT   20- SOMETHINGS?”   NYT   2010)

HOW DO WE DEFINE THIS PHASE OF LIFE?. Age: 20- 40 A stage of human development, faced with the hurdle of intimacy vs. isolation. 

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Age:   20- 40 A   stage   of   human development,   faced   with   the  hurdle   of   intimacy   vs.  isolation

Age:   Post- Adolescent Characterized   by   pervasive  ambivalence   toward   self   and  society,  and  enormous   value  placed   on   change,   transformation,  and   movement

Age:   18- 30 Young   Adults   who   are   in  limbo   between   adult  responsibility   &   autonomy   and  parental   dependency

EMERGING ADULT Defined   in   the   2000s

(“WHAT   IS   IT   ABOUT   20- SOMETHINGS?”   NYT   2018) )

DECISIONS AND ACTIONS DURING THIS TIME HAVE LASTING RAMIFICATIONS. 

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DECISIONS AND ACTIONS DURING THIS TIME HAVE LASTING RAMIFICATIONS

Most   people   are   accumulating   formal   education, meeting   future   spouses,   making   friends   they   will  keep,   and   starting   on   careers   that   will   last   during  this   time Adventures,   experiments,   travels,   relationships  are   embarked   on   with   an   abandon   that   will  not   happen   again

SELF-FOCUS. The task of “finding yourself” while struggling against someone else’s idea of who you should be requires some focus College students today are 40% less empathetic than those of 30 years ago, with the numbers plunging primarily after 2000 (NYT, 6/10). 

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The   task   of   “finding   yourself”  while   struggling   against  someone   else’s   idea   of   who   you  should   be   requires   some   focus College   students   today   are  40%   less   empathetic   than  those   of   30   years   ago,   with  the   numbers   plunging  primarily   after   2000   (NYT,   6/10)

IDENTITY EXPLORATION. The curiosity and desire for self- expression that are part of growing up are especially strong in this generation (Roper, 2009) Identity issues arise in young people’s answers to many different questions, suggesting that these issues are so prominent that they pervade many areas of life (Arnett, 2006). 

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The   curiosity   and   desire   for   self-  expression   that   are   part   of   growing  up   are   especially   strong   in   this  generation   (Roper,   2009) Identity   issues   arise   in   young  people’s   answers   to   many   different  questions,   suggesting   that   these  issues   are   so   prominent   that   they  pervade   many   areas   of   life   (Arnett,   2006)

A SENSE OF POSSIBILITIES. They have not yet tempered their idealistic visions of what awaits 42% say chances are very good they will achieve “the good life” (Roper, 2009). 

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They   have   not   yet  tempered   their   idealistic  visions   of   what   awaits 42%   say   chances   are  very  good   they   will  achieve   “the   good   life” (Roper,   2009)

FEELING IN-BETWEEN. 60% say they feel like both grown- ups and not- quite- grown- ups at the same time. 

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60% say   they   feel   like   both   grown- ups   and   not- quite- grown- ups   at  the   same   time

(“WHAT   IS   IT   ABOUT   20- SOMETHINGS?”   NYT   201 8 )

INSTABILITY. Instability is the hallmark of Emerging Adults’ school and work life “Across the country, the American Dream seems increasingly out of reach. But nowhere is it in greater danger than among today’s unemployed young people, who threaten to become a lost generation” (Huffington Post, 9/24). 

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Instability   is   the   hallmark   of   Emerging  Adults’   school   and   work   life “Across   the   country,   the   American   Dream  seems   increasingly   out   of   reach. 	 But   nowhere  is   it   in   greater   danger   than   among   today’s  unemployed   young   people,   who   threaten   to become   a   lost   generation”   (Huffington   Post,   9/24)

AMBIVALENCE. They are less certain of the. future, yet also more optimistic 96% say they are very sure that someday they will get to where they want to be in life But there is also a distinct sense of dread, frustration, uncertainty, and not quite knowing the rules of the game. 

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future,   yet   also   more   optimistic 96%   say   they   are   very   sure   that  someday   they   will   get   to   where  they   want   to   be   in   life But   there   is   also   a   distinct   sense   of  dread,   frustration,   uncertainty,   and   not  quite   knowing   the   rules   of   the   game

(“WHAT   IS   IT   ABOUT   20- SOMETHINGS?”   NYT   201 8

NEW INSIGHTS AND EMOTIONS FOR BRANDS TO CONSIDER. 

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NEW   INSIGHTS   AND   EMOTIONS   FOR   BRANDS   TO   CONSIDER

EXCITEMENT VS. UNCERTAINTY. am i takin g t he r ight path ?. 

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am   i   takin g   t he   r ight   path ?

WIDE OPEN POSSIBILITY VS. CONFUSION. . {. }. g oing to scho ol,. 

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RESTLESSNESS AND MOBILITY. 1/3 of people in their 20s move to a new residence every year. 

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1/3   of   people   in   their  20s   move   to   a   new  residence   every   year

They  go   through   an   average   of 7   jobs   in   their   20s more   job   changes   than   in   any   other   stretch

OPPRESSIVE IDEAS OF SUCCESS. “It’s somewhat terrifying to think about all the things I’m supposed to be doing in order to ‘get somewhere’ successful. When is there time to just be and enjoy? ”. 

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“It’s   somewhat   terrifying   to   think   about   all   the   things   I’m  supposed   to   be   doing   in   order   to   ‘get   somewhere’ successful. 	 When   is   there  time   to   just   be   and  enjoy? ”

“There   is   pressure   to   make   decisions   that   will   form   the  foundation   for   the   rest   of   your   life   in   your   20s.   It’s   almost  as   if   having   a   range   of   limited   options   would   be   easier .”

Take  risks Fall   in   love  Find   mentors Work

Maintain   personal   well- being,  mental   health,   and   nutrition

Think   about   or go  to   grad   school Be   financially responsible Network   with  the   right   people Follow   your  passions

TO   DO! Volunteer 	 Live   your   dreams

COMMITMENT COMING LATER AND LATER. 2009:. 2/3 spend at least some time living with a romantic partner without being married SHIFT IN MARRIAGE AGE 1970s: 21 for women and 23 for men. 

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2/3 spend   at   least   some   time   living  with   a   romantic  partner  without  being   married SHIFT IN MARRIAGE AGE 1970s:   21   for   women   and   23   for   men

Anthropologically speaking  cultures all over the world have shared a common belief that marriage marks not only the life-long joining of two people in a partnership, but also the attainment of full adult status

5 TRADITIONAL MILESTONES FOR EMERGING ADULTHOOD. 2. 

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5 TRADITIONAL MILESTONES  FOR EMERGING  ADULTHOOD

FAILURE TO LAUNCH. 40% move back home with their parents at least once. 

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40% move   back   home with   their  parents  at   least   once

Helicopter   parents   problem  solve  for   children   long   past  when   children   should   be  problem   solving   for   themselves Parents   regret   having   jumped  into   marriage   or   career ,   so  they  push   their   children   to   make more   considered   choices

Young   Adults not ready   to   grow   up

(“WHAT   IS   IT   ABOUT   20- SOMETHINGS?”   NYT   2018)

BOOMERS HOLD ON FINANCIALLY. American parents give an average of 10% of their income to their 18- 21 year- - old children. 

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American   parents   give   an   average   of 10%   of   their   income   to   their   18- 21  year- - old   children

This   percentage   is   basically   the   same   no matter   the   family’s   total   income,   meaning  that   upper- class   kids   tend   to   get   more   than working- class   ones

Emerging Adults are at liberty to pursue more elevated goals since their basic needs of food, shelter and sex are being met. 

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Emerging   Adults   are   at  liberty   to  pursue  more  elevated   goals   since  their   basic   needs   of  food,   shelter   and   sex  are   being   met

A   FIRST   WORLD   SELF- ACTUALIZATION   PHENOMENON?