1. Theory and Psychology of
Adults
Presented by: ISRAR AHMED
(Ph D Scholar Sarhad University Peshawar)
Presented to : DR. NIAZ MUHAMMAD AAJIZ
(HoD Education Deptt Sarhad University
Peshawar)
3. What is Adulthood?
“Adulthood usually refers to the transition to
adulthood and occurs when 'young people
are not dependent upon parental
support." (Nilsen, & Brannen, 2002)
Its when physical growth of men or women
has stopped and one is fully developed.
The state and responsibilities of a person
has reached maturity in the state of adulthood.
When formal education finishes…..!!!!!
4. Physical….
Physical Development – people are at the height
of their physical powers & at their reproductive
peak.
As people enter their 40s:
– Men may start to lose their hair
– Eyesight begins to deteriorate
– Skin loses elasticity so wrinkles appear
– Women continue to have periods until about 45
years old when they reach the menopause
(fertility declines)
– Sperm production in men declines although they
can continue to father children in to their 80s
5. Intellectual….
Intellectual development keeps one’s brain thinking
and motivates one to carry out a variety of life skills.
Being able to fully utilise their skills
Some intellectual tasks may include:
Reading,
Writing,
Watching TV and Listening to the radio etc and
More inclination towards religion . . . etc
6. Emotional….
• Emotionally adults look for stable and
satisfying relationships.
• They will also have greater intimacy skills
• Some may try and achieve their goals in
life
• They are now at the stage of coming to
terms with there body image
7. Social….
Adults at this stage will now feel
comfortable socializing with new
people
• There can be many changes in adults
social life.
• This is also the period when many
experience stress at home or at work.
9. Characteristics of Adulthood?
What constitutes emotional maturity, and thus
adulthood? Here are 20 defining characteristics of a true adult:
1.Realizing that maturity is an ongoing process, not a
state, and continuously striving for self improvement.
2.Able to manage personal jealousy and feelings of envy.
3.Has the ability to listen to and evaluate the viewpoints
of others.
4.Maintains patience and flexibility on a daily basis.
5.Accepts the fact that one can’t always win, and learns
from mistakes instead of whining about the outcome.
10. Characteristics of Adulthood?
6. Does not overanalyze negative points, but instead
looks for the positive points in the subject being
analyzed.
7. Is able to differentiate between rational decision
making and emotional impulse.
8. Understands that no skill or talent can overshadow
the act of preparation.
9. Capable of managing temper and anger.
10. Keeps other people’s feeling in mind and limits
selfishness.
11. Being able to distinguish between ‘needs’ and ‘wants’.
12. Shows confidence without being too arrogant.
11. Characteristics of Adulthood?
13. Handles pressure with self-control.
14. Takes ownership and responsibility of personal
actions.
15. Manages personal fears.
16. Able to see the various shades of grey between the
extremes of black and white in every situation.
17. Accepts negative feedback as a tool for self
improvement.
18. Aware of personal insecurities and self-esteem.
19. Able to separate true love from temporary fascination.
20. Understanding that open communication is the key to
success.
13. Adult psychology….
Adult psychology is different from child psychology.
Psychology of adults is based on their basic interest,
urges and capacities (Rogers, 1986). The psychology
of adults includes the following:
• He or she is more mature – that is, more fully
developed. But since none of us is ever fully
developed, we mean by this that they are using what
talents or aptitudes they have already developed. Of
course, we shall all continue to grow and develop –
but adults have already developed considerable
skills and talents.
• He or she has developed a more balanced sense of
perspective. An adult is more balanced.
14. Adult psychology….
• He or she is responsible for their own acts. Some
adults try to run away from this autonomy or self
responsibility, and for others (especially women), the
society (especially men) deny the much opportunity
to exercise this responsibility for themselves. But in
the end we are all growing into more and more
autonomy.
In dealing with adults, one must recognize the above
characteristics. If an adult is motivated properly, he
can put forth his maximum efforts to achieve the
desired goal. The motivated behaviour is characterized
by increased activity, willingness to work, overcoming
resistance to achieve the goal, and learning new
instrumentalities to achieve the goal.
16. Nature of adult learning
• Adult learning is the acquisition of new
ideas, skills. Attitudes, experiences and
understanding by people whose primary
occupation in life is other than learning or
studentship.
• The adults’ need for learning is current, for
practical information, and not for delayed
gratification.
17. Nature of adult learning
• Large amount of knowledge relating to social and
economic life have been learned through word-of-
mouth transmission and through modeling.
• Social roles, agricultural and construction skills,
crafts, history, language and so forth are passed on
from generation to generation through informal but
highly refined system of informal learning.
• The informally learned person would seem to be
more discovery – oriented, more an organic, and
more holistic etc…
18. Nature of adult learning
To further understand the nature of adult learning, we
have to recall the principles of adult learning. Let’s
analyze the basic principles of adult learning enlisted
by Knowles (1978):
• Adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs
and interests that learning will satisfy; therefore, these
are appropriate staring points for organizing adult
learning activities. For example, adults will typically
peruse formal course work only when those courses
become meaningful, beneficial, or rewarding.
• An adult’s orientation to learning is life-centered;
therefore, the appropriate units for organizing adult
learning are life situations, not subjects.
19. Nature of adult learning
• Experience is the richest resource for adults’
learning; therefore the core methodology of adult
education is the analysis of experience.
• Adult have a deep need to be self-directing; therefore,
the role of the teacher of adults is to engage in a process
of mutual inquiry with them, rather than to transmit his or
her knowledge to them and then evaluate their
conformity to it.
• Adult desire teachers who will direct or channel their
thinking in challenging and creative ways.
• Individual differences among people increase with
age; therefore adult education must make optional
provision for differences in style, time, place and pace of
learning.
21. 21
– Physical Changes – wrinkles, skin
folds, decline in sense of smell, slower
reflexes
– Cognitive Changes – memory ability
declines
– Social Changes – new decisions such
as retirement and other future related
decisions…
Problems of adults…
22. • MENOPAUSE: the natural ending of a
woman’s ability to reproduce.
• There are physical symptoms led by a
lack of estrogen.
Men do not experience anything like MENOPAUSE.
Men can pretty much produce sperm forever.
Menopause have different kinds of psychological
and physical etc effects on woman
Physical Milestones…
24. • Bad news: is as we get older our
immune system weakens, thus we
become more susceptible to life
threatening ailments (cancer etc).
• Good News: because older build up a
collection of antibodies throughout the
years, they get minor colds less often.
Health…
25. • The brain processes information at
slower speeds.
Age and driving …
26. • A progressive and irreversible brain
disorder characterized by gradual
deterioration of memory, language and
physical functioning.
• Runs its course in 5 to 20 years.
• Deterioration of neurons that produce
the neurotransmitter…. Acetylcholine
Alzheimer’s disease…
27. Cognitive Changes
• We tend to remember events from our
teens and twenties.
• Difference between recognition and
recall. Recognition remains stable.
Recall declines with old age.
28. different types of intelligence in adults...
• Crystallized intelligence: one’s
accumulated knowledge and verbal
skills; tends to increase with age.
• Fluid Intelligence: one’s ability to
reason speedily and abstractly; tends to
decrease during late adulthood.
29. references….
• Dahama, O.P. & O.P. Bhatnagar. 1980. Education and
Communication for Development. New Delhi: Oxford & IBH
Publishing Co.
• Dharmvir. 198 1. Adult Psychology and Educational Methods.
New Delhi: Institute of Cooperative Alliance.
• Freire, Paulo. 1970. Education for Awareness. Risk. Vol.VI,
No.4, pp.6-7.
• Freire, Paulo. 1972. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York:
Penguin Books Ltd.
• Illich, Ivan. 1970. The Need for Cultural Revolution. Risk. Vol.VI,
No.4, 32-42.
• Jayagopal 1.984. Adult Learning: Psycho-social Analysis.
Madras: University of Education Madras.
• John B. Watson. 1930. Behaviourism, p.82
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B.Watson).
30. references….
• John Dewey 1884. The New Psychology. Andover Review, 2,
pp.278-289 -
• Knowles, M. 1978. The Adult Learner: A Neglected Species (Pd
Edition). Huston: Gulf Publishing.
• Kurt Koffka 1886- 1941. Gestalt Psychology.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt-Koffka).
• Maslow, Abraham H. 1998. Towards a Psychology of Being,
(3rd ed). New York: Wiley.
• Mc Clelland, David. 1985. Human Motivation. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
• Mc Dougall. 1973. An introduction to social Psychology.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McDougalll(Psychologist).
• Pavlov, Ivan. 1960. Conditional Reflexes. New York: Dover
Publications.
31. references….
• Reddy, M. C. R. 2005a. "Adult learning: Theories and
principles", Unit-7 of Core
• Paper-1:Alternative Learning Systems and Adult Learning
Methods. of P G
• Diploma in Continuing Education and Management, Dept. of
Adult, Continuing
• Education and Extension, University of Mumbai, Mumbai
(Mimeo).
• Reddy, M. C. R. 2005.-"Motivating adults for Continuous
Learning", Unit-9 of
• Core Paper- 1 : Alternative Learning Systems and Adult
Learning Methods, of P.
• G .Diploma in Continuing Education and Management, Dept. of
Adult,
32. references….
• Continuing Education and Extension, University of
Mumbai, Mumbai (Mimeo).
• Rogers, Alan. 1986. Teaching Adults. New Delhi: Sterling
Publishers.
• Skinner, B. F. 1969. The Contingencies Reinforcement: A
Theoretical Analyses.
• New York: Appleton Century Crofts.
• Skinner, B. F. 1974. About Behaviourisim. New York:
Vintage.
• Thorndike, E. L. 1932. The Fundamentals of Learning.
Retrieved from: http:// en.wikipedia.org.www.nwlink.com
• Wolfgang Kohler. 1929. Gestalt Psychology. Retrieved
from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology.
