Rather than considering human potential in terms of an unrealized desired state, what if we framed it as gaining momentum in worthy long-term pursuits? This conceptual article, integrating ideas and findings from several scholarly literatures, explores how life purpose can serve as a meaningful, intentional guide for individuals, especially youth,…

This literature review examines transitioning challenges faced by Chinese international students who pursue graduate degrees in the United States. Based on existing research on adulthood in U.S. and Chinese contexts and the features of Chinese graduate students, Chinese adults, and international students as learners in Western countries, the…

A review of the 2009 career counseling and development literature indicates that the field remains vital, vibrant, valid, and viable precisely 100 years after its founding. Using the field's 4 fundamental traditions of person-environment fit, life-span development, social cognition, and constructivism-social constructionism as lenses for…

Reviews theoretical models of the imaginary audience and the personal fable and the empirical data pertaining to each model. Highlights problems surrounding the two most commonly used measures. Outlines directions for future research, so that a better understanding of the imaginary audience and personal fable, and their roles in adolescent…

Considers several avenues for stimulating study of the contextual aspects of career behavior. Reviews literature covering career barriers, a conceptually relevant construct, from the perspective of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT); advocates for the study of contextual supports as well as barriers; and proposes additional context-focused…

Examines the role attributed to cultural mediation in Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories. Mediation of human action by cultural artifacts was central to Vygotsky's account of human development, but less important for Piaget. Vygotsky's claims regarding social origins of individual mental processes need to be understood in light of claims regarding…

Piaget's theory has been characterized as descriptive and not explanatory, not qualifying as causal explanation. Piaget was consistent in showing how his theory was both explanatory and causal. Vygotsky also endorsed causal-genetic explanation but, on the basis of knowledge of only Piaget's earliest works, he claimed that Piaget's theory was not…

Compares Piaget's and Vygotsky's interpretations of transmission and transformation. Notes that differences are apparent in the preformation of knowledge, availability of a third alternative to nature and culture, and unity and identity in social interaction. Vygotsky was concerned about the novel transformation of the learner; Piaget, with the…

Chronicles Piaget's and Vygotsky's criticism of each other's ideas on childhood egocentrism. Notes that genuine, critical dialog failed to develop because Piaget did not reply to Vygotsky's criticism at first. Five reasons for his reticence are considered: (1) a language barrier; (2) lack of knowledge; (3) quality of the criticism; (4) ideology;…

Examines Piaget's and Vygotsky's conception of the relation of the social to the individual, including individualism versus holism, Piaget's alternative of relationalism, and Vygotsky's views of the nature of the social. Suggests that Piaget's denial and Vygotsky's advocacy of explanatory emergence leads to the question of domain-general versus…

The theory of transformative learning, the process of making meaning of one's experience, emerged from the work of Jack Mezirow and has been explored through numerous research studies and critiques over the last 20 years. The purpose of this monographic is to provide greater insight into the transformative learning theory. The paper begins with an…

Claims that mind and mental objects form a societal mental structure enabling children to assimilate the society and become co-constructing members. Cites evidence that competence to create mental objects, symbols, and meanings separated from action is the evolutionary evolved human capacity for society and culture. Vygotsky's "natural"…

Recent research has established closer links between language, cognition, and social life than Piaget or Vygotsky imagined. Connections have been established between object permanence development and acquisition of disappearance words and the quantity and quality of child-adult joint attentional social interactions and children's early word…

Considers the mind of the epistemic psychologist, a constructivist knowledge creator within a scientific framework, guided by the social world of scientific institutions. Suggests that Piaget and Vygotsky shared respect for complexity of phenomena and were consistently developmental in their theories. A reconsideration of their common heritage…

Examines the reflexive self, defined as the ability to reflect and consider who one is in relation to others, with examples from the experiences of gifted children and adolescents. Concepts of self-efficacy, self-image, self-concept, self-esteem, self-deception, and self-discrepancy are explored. (DB)