At what age are people fully "grown up"?

[Fred Derf Veteran]

Grown up at 26?

"In every mammalian species, immediately upon reaching puberty, animals function as adults, often having offspring," says psychologist Robert Epstein, author of The Case Against Adolescence. "We call our offspring 'children' well past puberty. The trend started a hundred years ago and now extends childhood well into the twenties. The age at which Americans reach adulthood is increasing - 30 is the new 20 - and most Americans now believe a person isn't an adult until age 26."

Source: Psychology Today

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/socialstudies

Although, one has to also remember that most animals can walk (and even escape predators) within a few hours of being born. Humans are kinda useless for quite a while. Unless drool can be considered a deterrent to predators, then they are pretty much helpless.

[etempest]

Early 20's

They found for most people at age 18 just about everything is "mature".... but the frontal lobe of the brain. This is the area where they logic, reason, etc is still not fully developed with most people.

They stumbled across this when they took 18 year olds showed them facial expressions and have them identify the emotion while doing brain scans. Most 18 year olds could not identify fear (they interrupted as "anger") where older past 20's could identify fear expression accurately. It revealed that even though around 18 almost everything is mature, for most people the frontal lobe is still not finished being developed.

[j.r.l.]

I say 18. I left home for university at 17 (immediately after getting my diploma, that is.)

[+.Vamp Subscriber²]

I voted 23. I think 21 is very close, but you hit 21 expecting to be a full adult, and then it takes a few years to get used to the idea and settle into a more adult life.

[Jordan Green]

i say 21 becuase like you are finishing uni and you can get strated into a job with your qualifications so that is why i chose 21. Although 23 was close too.

[crazzy88ss]

I say 18. I left home for university at 17 (immediately after getting my diploma, that is.)

Just because you leave home doesn't mean you're an adult.

[MGS4-SS]

12 years old.

[Izlude]

if you mean physically grown up, that would have to be between the ages of 25-30 i'm still developing, 22 years old, balls havn't dropped yet (jk) but I am still getting taller annually, slowly but still going.

if you mean maturity, mentally, that's probably gonna be 65, no person below that age is dependable and responsible, silly humans. just look at the mess our world is in because it is governed by humans below the age of 65. i hope I don't grow up though. I like making youtube poop, flash cartoons and comics. LONG LIVE THE YOUNG PEOPLE!

[Max Veteran]

You are an adult when you have responsibilities. And I don't mean paying your mobile phone bill.

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Physically adult at about 18 roughly. You have done most of your physical development towards a point, and then really start developing away from it later in life. Most puberty related issues should have cleared up.

Mentally adult - varies wildly. I would say you are mentally adult when you realise you still have more learning to do.

[harrisxml]

Graduating college and getting your first real job and all the responsibilities of life happen at 21.

[HeartsOfWar]

being an "adult" is a very convoluted term. Do you consider an "adult" to be someone that is "capable" of handling the everyday pressures of providing for a family, or do you consider an "adult" to be someone that is simply "capable" of providing for themselves, or simply someone that is "capable" of reproduction?

The average person is physically done growing between 18 - 21 years, but emotional growth is something that continues long after. No one ever really stops growing emotionally, but the average person has the last significant level of maturity growth by 24 - 26 years...

It's very possible to consider a child an "adult" when they reach puberty, but how many teenagers can provide for them themselves or another on their own? Not very many... and society has "inflated" to the point where it's not always good enough to work on a farm.

the term "adult" for the human population certainly changes as society changes... we're not animals living under the laws of mother nature so much as we are living under "society"

[Eagle101]

Here are the facts, whether you take them personally or not:

For Americans: 37 years old when you are fully grown up.

For the Rest of the World: 23 years old

This is the facts.

-Eagle101

[tiddlie]

97 and a half. Exactly.

[PT 13]

later than 20...

I am 20, and I'm still a kid... :p

[Sniper101]

20's ;) Im 17 going 18 in september and i feel more mature then i was last year It depends on how well you grow up really id say

[PL_ Veteran]

It varies from person to person.

[Mike Frett]

I say 30. Hell, I'm 28 and still do stuff I did when I was 15. I don't feel any different either. Sure, I'm more "grown up", but just because I'm older than a 15 year old doesn't mean I HAVE to act differently or follow a set of invisible rules.

I change my mind, I say when you're old and can't get around anymore. Screw it, never. How about them apples?.

[SnowRanger13]

Depends on the person and if your talking about mentally or physically. When I was 13 I would look back at when I was younger and I thought I did some really stupid things, two years later when I was 15 I'd look back when I was 13 and think I was pretty immature. Even today when I'm 17 I look back when I was 15 and think I did some fairly idiotic things, It's not hard for me to see that I'm constantly growing and changing my opinions.

[MrKuro]

I'd say it varies, but generally early-mid 20's

I'm grown up . . . (despite still loving video games / electronics / gadgets) . . . I'm 22 , own a nice house, 2 newer vehicles, getting married later this year, have a great career ahead of me, pay my bills and taxes, and have not relied on my parents since high school. I have a few friends and peers that at my age have hardly even left their parents basement, each person is different and "grows up" at their own pace.

btw .. if your talking sex . . the boy is ready at 17 (according to chef. southpark :) )

[Chris Allen Veteran]

I really think it's dependent upon the person or persons involved really. How they've been raised, what sort of circumstances they've been involved with during their lives, etc.

[VGVL]

21 sounds about right to settle down and have a family.

[_bobcat_ Veteran]

I voted 23. I am 21 this year and don't feel an adult yet but I should be in my first proper job soon after turning 23. Hopefully I will be able to function responsibly enough.

I've changed and matured enough since I was 15 to realise that I'm never going to know it all and I will, in fact, never grow up. I'm only just getting used to the idea of having an adult woman's body, my brain has to catch up and it's taking it's time.

Most people seem to think they are an adult at 18 after going off to university...that's just when the learning starts. I think it takes another five years or so.

Here are the facts, whether you take them personally or not:

For Americans: 37 years old when you are fully grown up.

For the Rest of the World: 23 years old

This is the facts.

-Eagle101

Based on what evidence? Or are they just the facts inside your head?

[Rappy Veteran]

It varies from person to person.

I agree with that :)

[Pierce28]

30. (I voted 32, since that is the closest that is over)

Why? Because at the grocery store I work at, if you look over 30, we don't have to ID you for alcohol and tobacco products. If you have to be IDed for age, it still feels like you have age restrictions.