Final answer:
Emerging adulthood is a phase from ages 18 to mid-20s, reflecting socio-historical changes like increased education requirements and altered cultural values, resulting in delayed onset of traditional adult responsibilities. This stage, influenced by shifts in longevity, work, and social norms, supports the assertion that emerging adulthood is shaped by socio-historical changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Emerging adulthood is a developmental transition period spanning from 18 years old to the mid-20s. This stage illustrates the influence of socio-historical changes on human development. The concept is indeed a product of socio-historical changes, reflecting how in many Western cultures, there is now an extended period of exploration and identity formation.
Factors contributing to this new stage include longer life expectancy, changes in the labor market requiring higher education for employment, and cultural shifts in attitudes towards marriage and family roles. The prolonged time in education, such as spending five to six years to complete a college degree, effectively delaying the onset of adult life, coupled with challenges in securing employment post-graduation, as marked by the phenomenon of the Boomerang Generation, highlight significant socio-economic changes.
Altogether, these factors illustrate how people in industrialized societies often take an additional decade before they start their careers and families, in contrast to previous generations.