positive adult development

Examples of positive adult development in the following topics:

• Levinson

  • Levinson was one of the founders of the field of positive adult development.
  • Levinson, an American psychologist, was one of the founders of the field of positive adult development.
  • Positive adult development is one of the four major forms of adult developmental study.
  • More recently, researchers have begun to experiment with hypotheses about fostering positive adult development.
  • Summarize Daniel Levinson's theory of positive adult development and how it influenced changes in the perception of development during adulthood

• Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

  • Erikson emphasized that the ego makes positive contributions to development by mastering attitudes, ideas, and skills at each stage of development.
  • Teenagers who struggle to adopt a positive role will likely struggle to "find" themselves as adults.
  • However, if other stages have not been successfully resolved, young adults may have trouble developing and maintaining successful relationships with others.
  • Adults who do not develop a positive self-concept in adolescence may experience feelings of loneliness and emotional isolation.
  • During this stage, middle-aged adults begin contributing to the next generation, often through childbirth and caring for others; they also engage in meaningful and productive work which contributes positively to society.

• Variables Affecting Adult Learning

  • Learning opportunities for adults exist in a variety of settings ranging from a formal institution to a place of employment.
  • Considerations for adult development and learning include biological and psychological development (including deterioration and disease processes that may occur) and sociocultural and integrative perspectives on development (Merriam, 1999).
  • While the most common reason for adults to place themselves in a learning environment is a life-changing event, once in that environment there are many factors that affect the learning experience.
  • Work experience (including development of thinking patterns based on this experience)

• Teaching Adult Education

  • The practice may also include "Training and Development" which is often associated with professional development.
  • Purposes of adult education may vary.
  • In these institutions, the aim is typically related to personal growth and development as well as occupation and career preparedness.
  • Adults who dropped out of high school will often return to school to participate in a part-time General Education Development (GED) program being offered at a community college or another educational institute.
  • Most upwardly mobile positions in the work place require, at the very least, a high school diploma or equivalent.

• Activity Theory

  • Activity theory proposes that successful aging occurs when older adults stay active and maintain social interactions.
  • The theory assumes a positive relationship between activity and life satisfaction.
  • Activity theory reflects the functionalist perspective that the equilibrium, that an individual develops in middle age, should be maintained in later years.
  • The theory was developed by gerontologist, or, scholar of aging, Robert J.
  • Also, some older adults do not desire to engage in new challenges.

• Continuity Theory

  • The continuity theory proposes that older adults maintain the same activities, behaviors, personalities, and relationships of the past.
  • " He continued to expound upon the theory over the years, explaining the development of internal and external structures in 1989 and publishing a book in 1999 called Continuity and Adaptation in Aging: Creating Positive Experiences.
  • The theory distinguishes between normal aging and pathological aging, so it neglects older adults who suffer from chronic illness.
  • Older adults hold on to many of the beliefs, practices, and relationships they had in the past as they continue to age.
  • Examine the pros and cons of the continuity theory of aging, specifically in terms of how it neglects to consider social institutions or chronically ill adults

• Socioemotional Development in Adulthood

  • Positive relationships with significant others in our adult years have been found to contribute to a state of well-being (Ryff & Singer, 2009).
  • While raising children can be stressful, especially when they are young, research suggests that parents reap the rewards down the road, as adult children tend to have a positive effect on parental well-being (Umberson, Pudrovska, & Reczek, 2010).
  • A lack of positive and meaningful relationships during adulthood can result in what Erikson termed the crisis of intimacy vs. isolation in his theory of psychosocial development.
  • Many adults find meaning in and define themselves by what they do—their careers.
  • Review the milestones and crises of socioemotional development in early and middle adulthood

• Introduction

  • There are conflicting perspectives on adult learning as it relates to and separates itself from early childhood development practices and overall approaches to learning.
  • It is the belief of the authors that all styles of learning are applicable to both early childhood and adult learning, with differences presenting themselves in regard to the use of the style based on the learning environment.
  • In this narrated PowerPoint presentation, we have explored the theory of the Adult Learning environment by including examples of teaching assistants, e-learning in technical colleges, and self-directed learning.

• Andragogy

  • Andragogy is the art and science of helping adults learn.
  • Since the development of his theory, Knowles has acknowledged that the principles he outlined did not apply solely to adult education.
  • The development of the theory simply illustrates that the designer "should involve learners in as many aspects of their education as possible and in the creation of a climate in which they can most fruitfully learn" (Merriam, 2001, p.7).
  • Knowles' main focus with the development of andragogy was the notion of the material being very learner centered and the learner being very self-directed.
  • It has been referred to as "a theory of adult education, theory of adult learning, theory of technology of adult learning, method of adult education, technique of adult education, and a set of assumptions

• Peer Groups

  • Peer pressure can also work in positive ways by encouraging teenagers to practice, study, or engage in other positive behaviors.
  • A peer group is a social group whose members have interests, social positions, and age in common.
  • Unlike the family and the school, the peer group lets children escape the direct supervision of adults.
  • Members inside peer groups also learn to develop relationships with others in the social system.
  • In spite of the often negative connotations of the term, peer pressure can be used positively.