Traditional Views of Adult Development
Until the 1980s, adult development was usually viewed in ways that looked like this:
Pre-Adulthood
- Childhood & adolescence (birth -17 years)
- Early adult transition (17-22)
Early Adulthood
- Entering the adult world (22-28)
- Age thirty transition (28-33)
- Settling down (33-40)
Middle Adulthood
- Mid-Life Transition (40-45)
- Entering middle adulthood (45-50)
- Age fifty transition (50-55)
- Culmination of middle adulthood (55-60)
Late Adulthood
- Late adult transition (60-65)
- Late adulthood
Source: Levinson, D., et al. (1978). The Seasons of a Man’s Life. New York: Knopf.
Discussion Questions:
- In what ways can such a conception be useful to adult educators?
- How well does this information reflect your own learning?
- What problems could there be with this conception of adult development?
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