Coming of age

Question 1

What is coming of age?

Answer 1

• term frequently used in media
• linked closely to rites of passage, coming of age carries implications of reaching a stage in life where society accepts that a person is now capable of accepting responsibilities of adulthood.

Question 2

What is coming of age typically accompanied with?

Answer 2

rituals and ceremonies, but also tests and initiations.

Question 3

What comes with coming of age?

Answer 3

with adulthood comes both privileges (right to vote) and responsibilities (pay taxes, harsher prison sentences) which distinguish age in status.

Question 4

what are the requirements needed in coming of age?

Answer 4

flexibility and a degree of understanding key aspects of personal and social/cultural world:

• appreciation of imp. stages of life and rites of passage
• embrace changing rights and responsibilities
• power/authority structures.
• dealing with accepted behaviours of gender, sex and ethnic identity.

all need to know to become fully accomplished and accepted member of adult world.

Question 5

what are the 7 life stages?

Answer 5

1. infancy
2. early childhood
3. childhood
4. adolescence
5. early adulthood
6. adulthood
7. late adulthood

Question 6

what happens at infancy?

Answer 6

develop sense of self and awareness of enviro

Question 7

what happens at early childhood?

Answer 7

learn to interact within social and cultural environment

Question 8

childhoood?

Answer 8

formal introduction to schooling and wider circle of peer. Develop sense of identity beyond family.

Question 9

adolescence?

Answer 9

access wider range to views/ideas through interaction of peers, media and school.
Physical, cognitive, emotional development emerging with clear sense of identity.

Question 10

early adulthood?

Answer 10

marked by career and lifestyle choices influenced by past experiences (socialisation). Acceptance of increased range of responsibilities.

Question 11

adulthood?

Answer 11

as Erik Erikson states, contribution and relationship with wider society reflected upon new phase of life with arrival of children begins

Question 12

Late adulthood?

Answer 12

time of reflection

retirement to think about lifestyle and aspirations

Question 13

Why are coming of age seperated into different groups?

Answer 13

convenient to divide life into recognisable stages seen with work of theorists of personal and social development

Piaget- concentrate on period only up to late adolescence.
Maslow and Erikson - look at complete life cycle.