De-Standardization of Trajectories to Adulthood in China: A Cross-Cohort Comparison

Studies have revealed a trend of de-standardization of trajectories to adulthood in both Europe and the United States since the late 1960s. However, few empirical studies have examined this trend in the Chinese context. This study constructed trajectory sequences of the transition to adulthood of Chinese youth, and used Shannon entropy to investigate the de-standardization of trajectories to adulthood among these young people. We found that standardization and de-standardization dynamics coexisted, depending on cohorts and life domains. The family life course trajectories (union formation and fertility) generally maintained a standardized tendency, and the occupational trajectories of early cohorts showed remarkable standardization. The cohorts of 1960-1969 and 1970-1979 presented a reversal trend toward de-standardization. There was significant sex and urban-rural heterogeneity in the occupational trajectories across cohorts. The standardization of early occupational trajectories of males was more pronounced than that of females, and that of rural residents was higher than that of urban residents.