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Changes in Peer Relations in Early and Young Adulthood - Emerging Adulthood

4 important questions on Changes in Peer Relations in Early and Young Adulthood - Emerging Adulthood

What are the 6 criticisms on Arnett's proposition of emering adulthood?

1. The ideas behind emerging adulthood are not new.
2. Emerging adulthood is historically specific.

Theories should be applicable across space and time

3. Emerging adulthood is not a positive time.
4. Emerging adulthood only applies to certain people.
5. Stages are not good.
6. Emerging adulthood is not really a theory.

More descriptive rather than explanatory

What are the 4 characteristics of a life-phase?

1. They index qualitative change

The change is not only in how often the behavior occurs, but is different from behavior displayed before

2. They are invariant

For each person it has to be done in a certain order, it is not possible to skip a phase

3. They are hierarchical

Earlier phases are a condition to be able to enter another phase

4. They are coherent

Individuals show integrated functioning across multiple domains

What is the age-stage model?

It is a very broad developmental stage theory which divided the life span insto a series of stages based on certain age markers (prenatal, infancy, toddlerhood etc.).

What are the 5 key features of the usefulness of a theory?

1. Descriptive
2. Delimiting (the area that is and is not covered is clear)
3. Generative
4. Integrative (pull many pieces together in coherent system)
5. Parsimonious (include onlu those assumptions that are useful)