Arnett's Theory Of Emerging Adulthood
Jeffrey Jenson Arnett, the American psychologist, has theorised that there is a new stage of development distinctly different from adolescence and adulthood. Arnett has categorised this stage as affecting young people from their late teens up to their twenties with an emphasis amongst the 18-25-year olds. Furthermore, Arnett has developed a new term for this stage of development as “Emerging Adulthood.” (Arnett, 2000). Therefore, this essay will evaluate the different perspectives of Arnett’s theory of emerging adulthood and discusses the limitations that could affect this theory. Such as, whether a young person has been part of the welfare or juvenile court system, and whether a young person decides to entre higher education. Either of these
limitations could make defining emerging adulthood as a separate stage of development, that is distinct from adolescence and adulthood problematic.