ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses many theoretical controversies and uncertainties about the effects of emerging adulthood on various components of civic engagement. It discusses the theory about serving society. The chapter presents findings based on a number of surveys of Chinese adults in Hong Kong regarding the net effects of emerging adulthood on prosociality. It also discusses the theory about sustaining institutions. The chapter shows findings from some surveys of adult Chinese in Hong Kong concerning civic engagement in terms of sustaining social institutions. It explores the net impact of emerging adulthood on civic engagement in terms of the challenge to social institutions, based on some surveys of Chinese adults in Hong Kong. The chapter formulates the conclusions of the analyses of civic engagement related to emerging adulthood, various background characteristics, and their interaction. The clarification assesses how much emerging adulthood is conceptually distinctive, theoretically justifiable, predictive of civic engagement, morally relevant, reflective of social forces, and practically ameliorable.
