Emerging Childhood

Emerging Adulthood

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Abstract

An adult is a human being who has reached the age of maturity, which is sexual maturity mostly symbolized by the attainment of reproductive age. Psychologically, as proponed by Robin, it is deemed to begin at the offset of puberty (Robin, 2010). Adult hood has however been used as a term to refer to a multiple of stages like the attainment of the age of majority.

The concept of emerging adulthood, was initially theorized by the likes of Erick Erickson, Daniel Levinson and Kenneth Keniston, though the term, emerging adults was first coined by Arnett. There has however been huge developments since their times, mostly demographically. Erickson talked of prolonged adolescence, a state common amongst the industrialized societies, in their attempt to experiment (Erickson, 1968). He was also the talked of psychosocial moratorium a theory so similar to the emerging adults’ characteristics of role experimentation, that the two cannot be distinguished. To this end, Levinson another proponent to the topic even before its initial inception, named ages 17-33 as the Novice phase of development, faced with challenges of moving into adulthood and developing a stable life (Levinson, 1978). He further noted that the stage made the youths undergo pragmatic changes and instabilities as they sought to enhance love and work, while at the same time establishing their lives. Whereas, Keniston, on the topic went ahead and noted that there was eminent convalesce among the youth in the American and some European countries, was greatly influenced by the tension between self and the society (Keniston, 1971).

The concept is deemed to arise out of economic and historical contexts. It has been characterized with the young adults been in constant attempt to realize themselves, thus delays in marriages, first child bearing, amongst other issues. According to Robin, the...