Coinciding the features of emerging adulthood with the traits of the second demographic transition: Prominent spatial patterns in developed countries
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The study of emerging adulthood (EA) has grown alongside the developments associated with the second demographic transition (SDT). This study examined the components of SDT that align with emerging adulthood (EA) features and their patterns across developed countries. We used the OECD family database of 22 developed countries, drawing on measurable indicators representing SDT and EA—which are not directly quantifiable—and performed a hierarchical cluster analysis to examine their relationship. The result reveal that emerging adults' features align with various components of SDT (e.g., marriage age, premarital cohabitation, and single living). Finally, looking at how the components of SDT appear together, four patterns of emerging adults’ behavior are identified: transitioning, oscillating, extensive, and little to transition. For future extension of EA theory and research, the integration of SDT components and EA features needs to be synthesized using both approaches and refined further based on their applications over diverse regions.
Institutions: University of Calcutta, University of Scranton
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,180
OpenAlex ID: W7135394355