The age-status system in adulthood was investigated, using a 58-item instrument which divided adulthood subjectively into three periods: normative expectations for various adulthood developmental tasks (marriage, parenthood, employment, retirement, etc.); the lower age constraints ("too young") for these behaviors. In addition, 22 items regarding personal and life history information about each subject were included. Two mailed response surveys of 1560 men and women between the ages of 25 and 55 years yielded 670 useable surveys. A factor analysis revealed nine meaningful factors including: (1) youth and young adulthood tasks; (2) maturity and career responsibilities; (3) norms for family events; (4) maturity and family responsibilities; (5) youth and career responsibilities; (6) subjective assessment of age; (7) prolonged adolescence; (8) retirement; and (9) length of education and career decisions. Age differences were of greatest importance; older subjects held more restrictive views on age norms and constraints than younger subjects. Attitudes corresponded with personal experience and decisions. (Author)