Modelling How to Become Adult

Abstract

A transdisciplinary model of becoming adult is presented. The qualitative analysis carried out on a research corpus by peer-reviewed journal articles published in the first quarter of the 21st century stemming from authors of Western countries reveals the existence of an action theoretical model of becoming adult. Becoming adult is characterized by the following ongoing process: Promoted as a result of completed maturation and based on the concept of legal age and with flexibility as the predominant recognition marker of adulthood, an individual engages in learning processes to gain experience and to acquire moral, self-management and cognitive abilities. A general education curriculum on adulthood includes learning objectives for the encouragement of cognitive, moral, and self-management abilities, the promotion of experience and of meaning and significance-making processes. These processes relate to: the phenomenon of becoming adult, the cultural sensitivity and recognition of adulthood, the maturation processes and the coming of age. This limited curriculum is valid for Western cultures.