Coming of Age in Samoa: A Psychological Study of Primitive Youth for Western Civilisation is Margaret Mead’s groundbreaking anthropological work that explores how culture shapes the experience of adolescence. Through immersive field research in Samoa, Mead reveals how the transition from childhood to adulthood differs vastly from the tension-filled expectations found in Western societies. Her observations challenge traditional Western assumptions, presenting a society in which young people navigate maturity with openness, communal support, and emotional ease. This influential study not only provides a rich cultural portrait but also encourages readers to reconsider how environment, upbringing, and social structures influence human development. Mead’s compelling narrative invites ongoing reflection on education, psychology, society, and the universal journey of growing up.
