4.2c Symbolic Boundaries
Symbolic boundaries make up a system of classification, which organizes objects, ideas, actions, and social groups into categories. The classifications are usually hierarchical. For example, society uses several factors to set the boundary between childhood and adulthood. Still, these categories may narrow or expand over time and cross-culturally. They are social constructions whose milestones and boundaries are based on biological characteristics and cultural views about children and adults (Corsaro & Everitt, 2023). Moreover, institutions such as government and education help define the boundaries. For instance, the government sets the age at which someone must be in school, obtain a driver’s license, or be tried as an adult for criminal activity.
Photo 4.7
Emerging Adult Is a Newer Age Category for People in Their Late Teens to Mid-20s
In most U.S. states, legal adulthood occurs at age 18. However, there are exceptions. For example, someone must be at least 21 to purchase alcohol or tobacco. And there is increasing recognition of the category “emerging adults,” covering the late teens and early twenties (the exact ages vary).
Emerging Adults
Emerging adulthood as a social category recognizes that people in their late teens to mid-20s are often in a transitional stage to adulthood. Many adult jobs require education beyond high school, and people marry and become parents later than in the past (Lowry, 2022). Emerging adults may do some of the things associated with adulthood, such as living independently from their parents. However, parents may provide major financial help by paying expenses ranging from college tuition to cell phone bills.
U.S. federal law also recognizes this transitional period through the Affordable Care Act (ACA or Obamacare). ACA requires insurance companies to keep adult children up to age 26 on their parents’ health insurance plan. This change recognized that it takes longer for young adults to “launch” into secure jobs that provide health insurance benefits than it did in the past.