Reuters via Sabrina

What does it mean to be youthful?

The Golden Age of Youth study analysed the three stages of youth - 'Discovery'(16-19 years old), 'Experimentation' (20-24 years old) and 'Golden' (25-34years old) - with 'Golden' indicating that they are the happiest, most confident and financially secure of their peers. With popular culture becoming more youthful and more accessible through TV, technology and global consumer brands, today's youth can no longer be defined by traditional demographic terms. Findings indicate that globally people are staying younger for longer and are connected to contemporary youth pursuits for a more extensive period of time. The fact that people are living longer is one major contributing factor along with the 'youthification' of culture, where it has become more acceptable for older ages to indulge in youthful behaviours.

Contemporary youth can now be defined more accurately as 'the absence of functional and/or emotional maturity', meaning that accepting traditional responsibilities such as mortgages and children and developing a strong sense of self-identity and perspective is occurring later and later in life across the globe.

This 'Golden Youth' are happier, more financially secure and still interested in youth pursuits and popular culture, but not all 25-34 year-olds are the same and depending on their balance of emotional and functional maturity, four segments have emerged within the 'Golden Youth' bracket: Settled Achievers, Nostalgic Dreamers, Ambitious Strivers and Threenagers.

Sursa: REUTERS