Eeva K. Kallio - Böcker

Research and theory in adult development offers ideas about emotional maturity and cognitive development in adult life as well as operational definitions and methods that might provide clarity and rigor in work on wisdom. The study of human development offers a scaffold for understanding the emergence of wisdom, or the “process” that includes several lines of development, which may begin in childhood but which flower in adult life. This handbook brings together researchers from across the globe to examine theory and research about wisdom, especially as it relates to current ideas about adult development. Each chapter reviews both what has been accomplished in recent years and puts forward several perspectives, new and old, about the definition of wisdom, how it is understood across cultures, and how it can be integrated into the broader field of adult development.Section 1 introduces the work contained in the volume and undertakes an historical view of how periods, levels, and stages of life have been conceptualized over time. Section 2 reviews paradigms, theories, and models, including the intersection of environment and genes, the development of emotional maturity, generative learning, and the importance of radical ambiguity in adult life. Section 3 suggests a taxonomy of wisdom and reviews eastern versus western cultural differences, wisdom across the lifespan, and the literature on wise leadership. Finally, the volume editors bring together the various threads, highlighting intersections, and suggesting ways to find consonance across ideas and approaches. In each chapter, the authors point out the strengths and weaknesses in theory and research, while also making suggestions for future research. Chapter 13 of this work is available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International open access licence. This part of the work is free to read on Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations.

What is Wisdom and Can it be Taught? uses careful theoretical analysis and a well-argued ontological conception of the human being to present a new ‘Holistic Wisdom Model’, summarizing existing research and presenting fresh insights.Human wisdom is a complex phenomenon. Psychological research in this area has led to a wide range of fragmentary claims and models, and therefore, there is a need for theoretical clarification of the field: What is wisdom? How should we study it in the first place? Is it a purely psychological phenomenon, or do we also need philosophy? This book examines these questions, as well as provides a pedagogical review of wisdom to evaluate how people become wise(r) and whether wisdom can be taught. Drawing on findings from a range of educational fields, it shows the crucial features of wisdom-enhancing pedagogies we already know, which are summarized in a ‘Teaching for Wisdom Model’.Written by leading, interdisciplinary scholars, this book illuminates the study of wisdom for researchers, academics, teachers, and students of psychology, philosophy, and education.

Development of Adult Thinking is a timely synthesis and evaluation of the current knowledge and emerging issues relating to adult cognitive development and learning. Focusing on psychological and educational cutting-edge research as well as giving an overview of the key theorists such as Piaget and Kohlberg, Kallio and the team of expert contributors offer a holistic view on the development of adult thinking, representing perspectives from developmental, moral, and social psychology, as well as education and philosophy. These topics are divided into three sections: Adult cognitive and moral development, Perspectives of adult learning, and Open questions and new approaches, offering introduction, analysis, and directions for future research. This text is essential reading for students and researchers in developmental psychology and related courses as well as adult educators and teachers working in adult education.