1. Adult DevelopmentAdult Development
TheoriesTheories
Class 3Class 3
ADLT 601 – The Adult LearnerADLT 601 – The Adult Learner
Spring 2006Spring 2006

2. Personal Development TheoristsPersonal Development Theorists
 Age / StageAge / Stage
 Development proceeds according to a series of stagesDevelopment 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 asDevelopment coincides with major life events such as
marriage, death of spouse, etcmarriage, death of spouse, etc
 TransitionsTransitions
 Development marked by periods of transition from oneDevelopment marked by periods of transition from one
stage to anotherstage to another

3. 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)

4. Daniel LevinsonDaniel Levinson
 Life cycle composed of 4 developmental periodsLife 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 relationshipConcept of individuation – changing relationship
between self and the worldbetween self and the world

5. Carol GilliganCarol Gilligan
 Feminist perspective on age-stage theoriesFeminist perspective on age-stage theories
 Highly critical of Levinson’s concept of “theHighly critical of Levinson’s concept of “the
dream”dream”
 Male identity build upon contrast andMale identity build upon contrast and
separateness to primary care-giverseparateness to primary care-giver
 Female identity based on perceptions ofFemale identity based on perceptions of
sameness and attachment to primary caregiversameness and attachment to primary caregiver

6. Gilligan, con’tGilligan, con’t
 Women’s moral judgment proceeds throughWomen’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 forCaring for others and responsibility for
individual needs (Level 3)individual needs (Level 3)
 Two transitionsTwo transitions
 Movement from selfishness to responsibilityMovement from selfishness to responsibility
 Movement from goodness to truthMovement from goodness to truth

7. HavighurstHavighurst
ickering and Havighurstickering and Havighurst
 Concept of the “teachable moment” whenConcept of the “teachable moment” when
the learning opportunity coincides withthe learning opportunity coincides with
the life task at handthe life task at hand
 Identified developmental tasks specific toIdentified developmental tasks specific to
white, middle-class North Americanswhite, middle-class North Americans

8. Abraham MaslowAbraham Maslow
 Development as reaching self-actualizationDevelopment as reaching self-actualization
 Accepting of themselves and othersAccepting 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 creativityHave creativity

9. Roger GouldRoger Gould
 Development is a process of confrontingDevelopment is a process of confronting
layer upon layer of childhood painlayer upon layer of childhood pain
 Development involves separation fromDevelopment involves separation from
childhood assumptionschildhood assumptions

10. Erik EriksonErik Erikson
 Development occurs as demands ofDevelopment occurs as demands of
society provoke struggle or crisis withinsociety provoke struggle or crisis within
the personthe person
 Eight psycho-social stages: five inEight psycho-social stages: five in
childhood based on Freudian conceptschildhood based on Freudian concepts
 Adult stagesAdult stages
 IntimacyIntimacy
 GenerativityGenerativity
 IntegrityIntegrity

11. 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)

12. 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 ifas crises if
they occur “on time” as socially appropriatethey occur “on time” as socially appropriate
 Crises come from “off time” life events when experienceCrises 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 interpretChronological age – increases ability to interpret
experience in more refined waysexperience in more refined ways

13. Baltes et al.Baltes et al.
 Normative age-graded developmental influencesNormative age-graded developmental influences
 Physical maturity, commencement of education, death ofPhysical 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 contractingExperiences unique to the individual such as contracting
rare disease, winning the lottery, etcrare disease, winning the lottery, etc

14. 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

15. Merriam and ClarkMerriam and Clark
 LoveLove andand WorkWork are the two goals ofare the two goals of
successful adult developmentsuccessful 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)

16. Transitions TheoristsTransitions Theorists
Bridges (1980)Bridges (1980)
Sugarman (1986)Sugarman (1986)

17. William BridgesWilliam Bridges
 Life marked by a series of transitionsLife marked by a series of transitions
 Each individual has a characteristic way ofEach individual has a characteristic way of
dealing with transitions which will bedealing with transitions which will be
repeated throughout liferepeated throughout life
 Three recurring eventsThree recurring events
 Endings firstEndings first
 Neutral zoneNeutral zone
 New beginningNew beginning

18. 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 fromSearching for meaning – a conscious effort to learn from
the experiencethe experience
 Integration – feeling at home with the changeIntegration – feeling at home with the change