“Am I being responsible?”: Navigating coming‐of‐age transitions through personal financial information management

Abstract This research explored how young adults (ages 18–25) learn to use financial records and the roles financial records play in their experiences in coming to see themselves as financially mature social actors. The contribution of this paper is a revised model of transitions theory that includes personal information management (PIM) as an information behavior that helps people navigate life changes. Data collected during 23 guided tours was analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, guided by transitions theory. The unifying theme was acting and becoming a “financially responsible” adult. Four themes captured different elements of this process: (1) changes generate financial identity exploration and awareness of new information needs and responsibilities; (2) young adults use financial recordkeeping to see, evaluate, modify, and therefore know the financial self; (3) human and societal factors as mediators and initiators of financial recordkeeping; and (4) construction of provisional adult identities. This study highlights social functions of financial records and value generated by inclusion of personal financial information management (PFIM) as a way to understand information behavior and coming of age transitions.