Abstract: In Erikson’s view, ego identity was life-long development process and the 18 to 25 years as a critical period of development. According to the reality of the postmodern society, Arnett renamed this period “emerging adulthood”. In one’s emerging adulthood, identity focuses on the field of love, work and world value. It stays in a senior identity state, but regression still exists in the process of development. The attribute of postmodern society was basic factor in emerging adulthood’s ego identity development; original family continuing impact of the ego identity development in emerging adulthood; while schools and work-units that constitute the proximal environment of social institutions, directly act on the emerging adulthood’s ego identity development. Autonomy at the emerging adulthood plays a key regulatory role in his interaction between family and social institution.

Key words: emerging adulthood, ego identity, identity status, personal agency