In Emerging Adulthood, Arnett examines in detail the lives of people in their late teens and twenties - a period of exploration, instability, possibility, self-focus, and a sustained sense of being in limbo. An increasing number of emerging adults emphasise meaningful and satisying work - not just a job - to a degree not seen in prior generations. Marrying late, often after a series of intimate relationships, they have new and different hopes and fears about long-term commitments, love, and sex. Emerging adults face the challenge of defneding their new and longer road to adulthood to parents and others who entered adulthood at an earlier age in a different time. In spite of these challenges, Arnett's research shows emerging adults are particularly skilled at maintaining contradictory emotions.