Adolescence

Teenagers

• Distinct group due to:

  • Living standards improving

  • Compulsory education in high income countries

  • Post-WW2 societal shift to young people having less of a duty to their parents

  • Commerce- teenagers influence and can be effectively marketed to

• This concept then sustained due to:

  • Teenagers growing up slower and so lower rates of teenage pregnancy

  • Industries established to profit off teenage music, fashion and language

  • Internet reduces physically risky behaviours

  • ‘Slow life strategy’- wealthy and forgiving families allow teenagers to not grow up as fast as they can afford to look after them well into their twenties

Adolthood

• New demographic group

• Teenagers no longer ‘rebel without a cause’ as they did in the 50’s and 60’s

• Now adolescence continues to about 25 years old

  • Older adolescents can delay their full entry into the adult world

    • Boomerang children

• 100 Year Life

  • Parents work for longer and can therefore financially support their children for longer

  • 20’s are a period of exploration as opposed to the beginning of working