Research on logical competence in adulthood was framed by the general competence-moderator-performance model of life span cognitive development constructed by Overton and his colleagues. This approach was able to distinguish between logical knowledge necessary for task solution and informational processes that may facilitate or inhibit the…

This paper presents a study which indicates that accurate performance on a simple conservation task need not be related to congnitive maturity. Twenty adults and 20 third graders were given three verbal problems, each requiring a same-different judgment and an explanation of that judgment. Only 3 adults were able to give correct judgments, while…

The growth of individuals participating in community problem solving activities within a rural setting was the focus of this study. Using grounded theory methodology, data was obtained from literature, interviews with participants in four rural community problem solving groups, and one participant-observation study of a rural community problem…

This paper describes a program providing support, education, and skill-building within a self-help format for the children of aged parents. The selection of the 18 initial program members, each with relatives living either in their homes, in a nearby location, or in nursing homes is reviewed. The 90-minute group sessions which met weekly for 8…

This paper presents the "uses of the past" model of personality development, a model in which adult development transforms an individual's history into resources for meeting present demands. The components of the model are delineated in terms of how: (1) neither the past nor the present is fixed in its effects or its contribution to present…

Three alternative views of adult development can serve to distinguish competing schools of thought regarding the research, theory, and practice of human resource development (HRD). These views are as follows: (1) the person-centered view, which aims at self-realization of the individual and is grounded in humanistic psychology and liberalism; (2)…

This paper focuses on how the entrance of greater numbers of adults into university classes has changed and should continue to change the methods of teaching. The first part of the paper traces the history of the philosophy of adult education, recounting liberal education theories, progressive theories, behaviorist theories, humanistic approaches,…

Because adult basic education (ABE) students often have difficulty with problem solving and comprehension, a study was initiated to determine (1) at what levels of cognitive development ABE students are operating and (2) how teaching materials and methods relate to these cognitive levels. Thirty-two ABE students were given a written test of…

This document contains three papers on key skills and competencies and human resource development (HRD). "Career Related Competencies" (Marinka A.C.T. Kuijpers) reports findings from surveys completed by Dutch employees who identified these issues: self-reflection is more important than career control; age and gender influence attitude…