Psychology 445: THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD Prof. Jean Rhodes Jean.rhodes@umb.edu

1. Psychology 445: THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOODProf. Jean RhodesJean.rhodes@umb.edu Mondays and Wed 2-3:15

2. Traditional Markers of Adulthood • Leaving home • Completing School • Entering the Workforce • Getting Married • Having Children

3. Three Important findings • Becoming adult has become more gradual and varied • Families are often overburdened in extending support • Mismatch between young people and existing institutional supports

4. What’s needed • Strengthen capacities of young people • Improve the institutions in which they move

5. Becoming an adult: A brief history • During the first few decades of the 1900’s “adolescence” was brief • By late teens, only a small fraction still in school, most men began work • A lot stayed at home and marriage and childbearing did not happen immediately • Jobs bound to farming • Post WWII exception • Marriage and childbearing right after school • High paying jobs were plentiful, incomes grew quickly • By late 50’s adulthood was defined in terms of marriage and children

6. History cont • We are more like early 1900’s! • Becoming an adult was more gradual • But important differences • 95% consider the most important markers to be • Completing school • Establishing an independent household • Being employed full-time • BUT only about half consider it necessary to be married and have kids—considered life choices

7. Definitions differ by Social class: Important new realities • Becoming adult ususaly means living on your own for a while • Necessity of higher education • It takes longer to secure income that could support a family • Marriage and family come significantly later • Options differ depending on racial/income characteristics • More young people of color/immigrants

8. Living with parents

9. Golden age was the exception

10. College for All? • 10% drop out of high school (5% white, 10% black, 22% Latino) • Only ¼ of adults between 25-35 have a B.A. (27% white, 15% black, 9% Hispanic) • (only 5% graduate degrees) • Only 40% who enter 4 year colleges have a degree six years later (60% if parents have BA, 10% if not) • More than half of black young men are: • Not in school, military, or workforce!

11. Harder to get ahead • Globalization • International markets • New technologies • Wages and pensions have decreased • Increased need for college degree

12. Delaying “I do” • Acquiring education and job skills takes longer • Median age 1960’s 22, now 28 • By 34, 70% married • Advances in contraception • Views on acceptability of living together • Nearly 40% of children born to unwed mothers

13. Marriage rates

14. Single Parenthood

15. Stark inequalities • Skills, resources, and opportunities vary by social class • Children in top quarter receive 70% more $$ • Recession has amplified problem • Most support to more fragile families ends by 18th birthday • Underscores importance of investing in institutions • International perspective

16. Institutions • Community colleges • Service learning programs • The military

17. There are some benefits… • Less rigid • More opportunities for women • Arnett