The dynamics of aspirations in emerging adulthood

Abstract

Aspirations about the future play an important role in the construction of self-determination, with emerging adulthood as a period when individual aspirations go through the “reality” check-up. Immersion in different life contexts, namely university versus employing organizations, influences aspirations of emerging adults. The present research focuses on: (a) an analysis of aspirations patterns of student versus employed emerging adults (N = 234); and (b) an investigation of differential predictors for aspirations in student versus employed emerging adults, in terms of emerging adulthood characteristics and career decision self-efficacy.