How do the goals we once cherished but can no longer pursue relate to maturity? The authors asked adults who have experienced challenging life transitions to describe the life goals they once sought but no longer do and those goals that motivate their lives now. The authors conducted research which examines how adults' views of their lost and…

THERE IS A LACK OF THEORY AND EMPIRICAL KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING ADULT DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN THE AGES OF 30 TO 60. THE POSTULATE THAT THIS PERIOD IS CHARACTERIZED BY STABILITY IS QUESTIONED. EXPLORATION TAKES PLACE ALL THROUGH LIFE. ITS QUALITY AND FOCUS MIGHT CHANGE, BUT THE PROCESS IS THE SAME. DEVELOPMENTAL MODELS COULD PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE…

The past 15 years have brought a re-evaluation of women's adult development in light feminist thinking. However, many outdated assumptions in psychological theory remain comfortably ensconced; to challenge these ideas, some misrepresentations of women's experience are examined. The focus is on Erik Erikson's explanation of the second stage of…

Between the ages of thirty-five and fifty, adults become engrossed in questioning the meaning of work, marriage, and life itself. In the process, they must confront long-held false beliefs in their own immortality, safety, and innocence. (Author)

This research project investigates the relationships between age and life satisfaction, self-concept, and locus of control among the aged. The predictions were based in large part on Erickson's adult development theory, and attempts were made to isolate the effects of age from other possible factors such as cohort and environment. The findings…

Explores gender and ethnicity in relation to Marcia's (1980) model of identity development, based on the centrality of crisis and commitment in the formation of adult identity during the college years. Suggests that Marcia's model does not adequately account for the centrality of relationship to female development, nor the importance of…

Psychology teaching should intentionally aim to encourage adult development. By explicitly recognizing key dimensions of development, psychology teachers can more effectively achieve their own course objectives and the broader objectives of the profession. Such aims are consistent with the traditional mission of the university and the psychology…