2014/10/02 by James E. Côté · 2 citations
Social Sciences · Psychology · #Youth Education and Societal Dynamics #Identity, Memory, and Therapy #Aging and Gerontology Research
paper · doi:10.1080/10888691.2014.954451
openalex publication_date 2014/10/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
This article examines the theory of emerging adulthood, introduced into the literature by Arnett (2000 Arnett , J. J. ( 2000 ). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties . American Psychologist , 55 , 469 – 480 .[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), in terms of its methodological and evidential basis, and finds it to be unsubstantiated on numerous grounds. Other, more convincing, formulations of variations in the transition to adulthood are examined. Most flawed academic theories are simply ignored by scientists. However, Arnett's unsubstantiated formulations have found their way to journalists, who are influencing public opinion, and policymakers, who are determining the fate of youth populations. As such, the article argues that an academic myth is being created that has serious economic and emotional repercussions for the many young people facing difficult circumstances in their transition to adulthood. Consequently, this myth requires corrections from the scientific community, one of which is provided here.