At what age does adolescence end and adulthood begin?

Question

Is there a universal age? Or does it depend on ones culture?

Answer 1

depends on the culture. traditionally adulthood and puberty had a direct relationship, many religions acknowledge that by rites of passage: confirmation, bar mitzvah, etc. legally, there is no adolescence since it happens overnight with a birthday, one day you're a minor, next day an adult. adolescence is a concept that seems to have developed in western cultures as sort of an extended childhood where you are an adult with training wheels so to speak, half-child, half-adult where you are allowed uncertainty as to what you want to be when you grow-up.

so, i guess it's all about how you and the people around you look at the period between the irresponsibility and dependency of childhood and the duties and rights of an independent member of society.  

Answer 2

27

Answer 3

depends which s*x your referring to.

men rarely get out of the "adolescent" stage.

whereas women usually reach adulthood at around 25.

my opinion only of course. LOL

Answer 4

There is usually a legal definition of adulthood.  It varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.  Sometimes 18, 19 or 21.  However, from a developmental or psychological point of view, there really is no specific cut-off.  It very definitely depends on ones culture and ones individual development.  So, in some cultures, particularly in the past, adulthood might begin in the teen years.  Nowadays, in North America, adolescence seems to extend into the twenties.  So, no universal age.

Answer 5

Developmental psychologists define it when one is independent from parents, financially, left the home, secured a career....so mid twenties...when education is over.  It is culturally varied, and class varied.  Lower SES, everything happens earlier, birth of first child, marriage, death.  Higher SES, things are later.  Some cultures have rites of passage where there is a clear end to adolescence, but in western culture, it is not that clear, hence the definition of separation from family, and economic independence.  Given more education is now required to work, adolescence is ending later.  (college psych professor)