Features of contemporary young men’s and women’s perceptions of adulthood

Abstract

Background. The transition to adulthood in the contemporary world is characterized by blurred age boundaries and the absence of clear criteria for maturity. Aim. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics of young men’s and women’s representations of adulthood and of the image of an adult, as well as to examine how these representations are related to their experience of their own age status. Methods. The study involved 166 participants aged 22–25 years, including 70 young men and 96 young women. The methods included the Age-Status Self-Consciousness Questionnaire and an author-developed survey with open-ended questions designed to explore young people’s attitudes toward adulthood. Results. The results showed that most respondents considered themselves adults while simultaneously experiencing a fluctuating and intermediate age status. In young people’s representations, adulthood was primarily associated with psychological characteristics, such as independence in decision-making and the ability to assume and bear responsibility. Material independence and social markers, such as having a family, were regarded as additional conditions. The factors most frequently reported as hindering the sense of adulthood included insufficient financial resources, fear of responsibility and mistakes, and continuing parental control. Conclusions. The findings indicate the complexity and nonlinearity of adulthood as a phenomenon, reflected in young people’s self-identification as adults alongside their experience of an intermediate age status.