Adult Development Adult Development TheoriesTheories

Class 3Class 3

ADLT 601 – The Adult LearnerADLT 601 – The Adult Learner

Spring 2006 Spring 2006

Personal Development TheoristsPersonal Development Theorists

Age / StageAge / Stage Development proceeds according to a series of stages Development proceeds according to a series of stages

adults pass through as they ageadults pass through as they age

Life EventsLife Events Development coincides with major life events such as Development coincides with major life events such as

marriage, death of spouse, etcmarriage, death of spouse, etc

Transitions Transitions Development marked by periods of transition from one Development marked by periods of transition from one

stage to anotherstage to another

Age – Stage TheoristsAge – Stage Theorists

Levinson (1978, 1996)Levinson (1978, 1996)

Gilligan (1986) Gilligan (1986)

Havighurst (1981)Havighurst (1981)

Maslow (1968)Maslow (1968)

Gould (1978)Gould (1978)

Erikson (1959)Erikson (1959)

Daniel Levinson Daniel Levinson Life cycle composed of 4 developmental periods Life cycle composed of 4 developmental periods

Childhood – Adolescence (birth – age 20)Childhood – Adolescence (birth – age 20)

Early Adulthood (ages 17-45)Early Adulthood (ages 17-45)

Middle Adulthood (ages 40 – 65)Middle Adulthood (ages 40 – 65)

Late Adulthood (ages 60 – onward)Late Adulthood (ages 60 – onward)

Each transition takes 3-6 years to completeEach transition takes 3-6 years to complete

Concept of individuation – changing relationship Concept of individuation – changing relationship between self and the worldbetween self and the world

Carol GilliganCarol Gilligan

Feminist perspective on age-stage theoriesFeminist perspective on age-stage theories

Highly critical of Levinson’s concept of “the Highly critical of Levinson’s concept of “the dream” dream”

Male identity build upon contrast and Male identity build upon contrast and separateness to primary care-giverseparateness to primary care-giver

Female identity based on perceptions of Female identity based on perceptions of sameness and attachment to primary caregiversameness and attachment to primary caregiver

Gilligan, con’t Gilligan, con’t Women’s moral judgment proceeds through Women’s moral judgment proceeds through

three levelsthree levels Focus on self (Level 1) Focus on self (Level 1) Caring for others equated with good (Level 2)Caring for others equated with good (Level 2) Caring for others and responsibility for Caring for others and responsibility for

individual needs (Level 3) individual needs (Level 3)

Two transitionsTwo transitions Movement from selfishness to responsibility Movement from selfishness to responsibility Movement from goodness to truth Movement from goodness to truth

Havighurst Havighurst ickering and Havighurstickering and Havighurst

Concept of the “teachable moment” when Concept of the “teachable moment” when the learning opportunity coincides with the learning opportunity coincides with the life task at handthe life task at hand

Identified developmental tasks specific to Identified developmental tasks specific to white, middle-class North Americans white, middle-class North Americans

Abraham MaslowAbraham Maslow

Development as reaching self-actualizationDevelopment as reaching self-actualization Accepting of themselves and others Accepting of themselves and others Problem-centered not self-centeredProblem-centered not self-centered Have spontaneityHave spontaneity Have had mystical or spiritual experiencesHave had mystical or spiritual experiences Resist conformity to cultureResist conformity to culture Need for privacyNeed for privacy Deep relationships with a few special othersDeep relationships with a few special others Have creativity Have creativity

Roger GouldRoger Gould

Development is a process of confronting Development is a process of confronting layer upon layer of childhood painlayer upon layer of childhood pain

Development involves separation from Development involves separation from childhood assumptions childhood assumptions

Erik EriksonErik Erikson Development occurs as demands of Development occurs as demands of

society provoke struggle or crisis within society provoke struggle or crisis within the personthe person

Eight psycho-social stages: five in Eight psycho-social stages: five in childhood based on Freudian concepts childhood based on Freudian concepts

Adult stagesAdult stages IntimacyIntimacy GenerativityGenerativity Integrity Integrity

Life Events TheoristsLife Events Theorists

Neugarten (1976)Neugarten (1976)Baltes et al. (1980)Baltes et al. (1980)

Riegel (1976)Riegel (1976)Merriam and Clark (1991)Merriam and Clark (1991)

NeugartenNeugarten Adult development defined by time factorsAdult development defined by time factors

Social timeSocial time

Development situations are not experiencedDevelopment situations are not experienced as crises if as crises if they occur “on time” as socially appropriatethey occur “on time” as socially appropriate

Crises come from “off time” life events when experience Crises come from “off time” life events when experience differs from expectationsdiffers from expectations

Historical time – creates age appropriate normsHistorical time – creates age appropriate norms

Chronological age – increases ability to interpret Chronological age – increases ability to interpret experience in more refined waysexperience in more refined ways

Baltes et al. Baltes et al. Normative age-graded developmental influencesNormative age-graded developmental influences

Physical maturity, commencement of education, death of Physical maturity, commencement of education, death of parentsparents

Normative, historically-determined eventsNormative, historically-determined events

Economic depressions, wars, etcEconomic depressions, wars, etc

Non-normative influences of great impactNon-normative influences of great impact

Experiences unique to the individual such as contracting Experiences unique to the individual such as contracting rare disease, winning the lottery, etcrare disease, winning the lottery, etc

RiegelRiegel

Individual is a changing person in a changing worldIndividual is a changing person in a changing world

Human development moves along 4 dimensionsHuman development moves along 4 dimensions

Inner-biological (maturation, health)Inner-biological (maturation, health)

Individual-psychological (self-concept, self-esteem)Individual-psychological (self-concept, self-esteem)

Cultural-social (rules, regulations, social rituals)Cultural-social (rules, regulations, social rituals)

Outer physical (natural world events)Outer physical (natural world events)

When any 2 dimensions are in conflict, When any 2 dimensions are in conflict, developmental change may occurdevelopmental change may occur

Merriam and ClarkMerriam and Clark

LoveLove and and WorkWork are the two goals of are the two goals of successful adult development successful adult development

Found 3 patterns unrelated to age or genderFound 3 patterns unrelated to age or gender

Divergent (when one is good, other is low)Divergent (when one is good, other is low)

Steady/Fluctuating (one steady, other fluctuates)Steady/Fluctuating (one steady, other fluctuates)

Parallel (Love and work happiness coincide)Parallel (Love and work happiness coincide)

Transitions TheoristsTransitions Theorists

Bridges (1980)Bridges (1980)

Sugarman (1986) Sugarman (1986)

William BridgesWilliam Bridges

Life marked by a series of transitionsLife marked by a series of transitions

Each individual has a characteristic way of Each individual has a characteristic way of dealing with transitions which will be dealing with transitions which will be repeated throughout liferepeated throughout life

Three recurring eventsThree recurring events

Endings firstEndings first Neutral zoneNeutral zone New beginningNew beginning

SugarmanSugarman Change experience follows a characteristic patternChange experience follows a characteristic pattern

Immobilization – sense of being overwhelmedImmobilization – sense of being overwhelmed

Reaction – sharp mood swings from elation to despairReaction – sharp mood swings from elation to despair

Denial - minimizing the impactDenial - minimizing the impact

Letting go of the pastLetting go of the past

Testing – exploring new optionsTesting – exploring new options

Searching for meaning – a conscious effort to learn from Searching for meaning – a conscious effort to learn from the experiencethe experience

Integration – feeling at home with the changeIntegration – feeling at home with the change