The transition, redefined
Emerging adulthood (roughly ages
18–25, reaching toward 29) is Arnett's name for the distinct stretch between adolescence and settled adulthood. Its hallmark: adulthood is felt to arrive through
three internal criteria — not through hitting demographic milestones like marriage or a first job.
This stage overlaps Erikson's Intimacy vs. Isolation and prolongs the identity “moratorium” (Marcia) — active exploration without firm commitment — well into the twenties.
The Big Three (Arnett's top criteria): 1) accept responsibility for yourself · 2) make independent decisions · 3) become financially independent. All are gradual, individual, and character-based — you become an adult by degrees.
Arnett's five features of emerging adulthood: identity exploration · instability · self-focus · feeling in-between · a sense of possibilities.