Tailoring Narration for Distinct Audiences in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

The development of narrative identity is a critical task for emerging adults—one shaped by parents and peers. However, how diverse audiences might jointly shape narrative identity remains underexamined. The present study addresses this gap, examining how emerging adults perceive diverse audiences for their narratives and tailor those narratives. In Study 1, emerging adults (N = 112 and 106) rated peer audiences as more frequent, comfortable, agreeable, and less challenging audiences compared to mothers and fathers. In Study 2, participants (N = 106 participants; n = 1272 narratives) responded to four narrative prompts: first, the standard prompt with no audience specified and then edited those narratives (if desired) for mothers and for friends. Broadly, relative to friends, mothers elicited more positive, but also more edited, narratives. These findings illustrate the social-relational dynamics of narrative identity construction in emerging adulthood, as well as implications for narrative autonomy and narrative intimacy.