Jane Loevinger’s theory of ego development
Learning is a multifaceted process that is comprehended differently because of the various beliefs that surround the activity. Despite the variations in the understanding of the learning activity, a common element that emerges is that the end outcome of learning is the acquisition of new ideas or knowledge. Some perceive learning as any process that results in discovering new things and keeping the knowledge while others confine the meaning of learning to the school or classroom environment. Several theories have been outlined to explain the process of learning and the ideas are used to design the process of learning. The learning and developmental theories explain the learning process in adults and other factors that influence how learning occurs such as aging, environment, and intelligence.
Jane Loevinger’s theory of ego development focuses on the idea of ego development across a person’s lifespan. The theorist views ego as a process rather than a thing and that it occurs in different stages as one grows older. The basic idea behind the theory according to Loevinger is that ego development emanates from the self’s encounter with the world as it seeks to interact with, make meaning out of it, and create perceptions or images about the world and relate to other things or people in it. The different stages of ego development outline how one perceives the world around him or her at different stages of life starting from infancy to adulthood.
According to Loevinger, the first stage of ego development is pre-social or infancy where a child has no control over the surrounding environment. In the second stage; impulsive, the young child has some abilities to differentiate what is good or bad for him or her. A child in this stage is driven by emotions and specific demands. During this stage, a child only focuses on the present events and is not influenced by the past of the future. The third stage is self-protective where a child begins to develop some level of self-control and perceives the world in terms of punishments and rewards and recognizes the need to be on the right side. The conformist stage is mainly characterized by becoming aware of society and belonging to a specific social group and trying to conform to the behavior requirements of the group. The self-aware stage is when one has become an adult and gains the ability to envision multiple possibilities in life events and tries to become what he or she believes should become. In the conscientious step, a person learns about the rules of society and recognizes the need to make the right choices that resonate with the societal rules. In the individualistic stage, a person develops respect for individuality in oneself and tolerance for other people’s differences. In the autonomous stage, Loevinger suggests that achieving a sense of self-fulfillment is prioritized over other outer achievements. The final stage; integrated is when ego shows inner wisdom, high degree for self-acceptance, and deep empathy for others. The theorist suggests that there is a possibility of developing more abilities in adulthood and that there might be more stages beyond what Loevinger outlines.
Loevinger applies the model of ego development to imply that the creation of a central frame of reference through which people perceive themselves and their associations with others. The developmental stages as outlined by Loevinger refer mainly to the development of core personality. The theorist suggests that adults continue to develop and other factors such as the environment also influence their development and learning abilities. Understanding the conditions for development is fundamental for the successful integration of affective and cognitive domains to enhance the learning capacity of adults.
Laurent Daloz applies the transformative theory to explain learning in adults. One of the key assumptions that Daloz holds regarding learning in grownups is that change is a constant element in adult life and adults continue to transform and adapt to change in their lives. the dominant belief that Daloz holds about education is that education among adults is more of a transformational journey rather than merely the outcome of a life-changing event. Daloz suggests that teaching in adults is different from that in children because educators dealing with adult learners play the role of mentors. The educators are mentors because they guide grown through their transformational journey. Daloz suggests that adult learners have clear objectives that they want to achieve and the role of the educator is to enable them to pass through the journey towards their goals. The journey continues as the adult learners undergo further developmental stages as they continue to transform.
Aging influences the learning capacity of adults because their cognitive abilities diminish when they get older. Most older learners take long to comprehend and comprehend concepts compared to young adults because of the biological processes that take place naturally. Handling such learners should be special where educators consider the learning challenges that come along with diminished intelligence. The mentorship approach is essential in such circumstances where learners are supported to achieve their objectives.
Stephen Brookfield offers a body of intellectually powerful ideas that are essential in adult education. The theorist gives insights that influence the perceptions that are held about adult learning and they influence how educators approach to deal with adult learners. Brookfield suggests that learning is a lifelong journey that involves constructive resistance and interaction with the surrounding environments. Brookfield extracts his ideas from the critical theory to justify what adult learning is all about and how educators should approach it. Through the various ideas that Brookfield outlines with regard to the theory, he illuminates the daily activities of educators dealing with adult learners and enables them to comprehend and make sense of the contradictions, dilemmas, and other challenges they experience in their teaching roles. Brookfield applies the critical theory within the context of adult learning by arguing that the learning ought to focus on knowing how adults learn to challenge existing ideas, contest hegemony, challenge ideologies, and acting against other systems and ideas that they believe are not acceptable. Brookfield also outlines that adult educators need to practice critical thinking processes to understand how to deal with different situations when handling adult learners.
Adults continue to undergo further intellectual developments that enable them to gain the ability to absorb and accommodate more ideas. William Perry outlined the theory of intellectual and ethical development that explains intellectual development among adult learners particularly college students. The theory points out three stages through which college-level students undergo as they develop their cognitive abilities. The theorist holds the belief that college learners undergo four stages of mental development. The four phases that adult learners go through are dualism, multiplicity, relativism, and commitment. The model explains how people approach each stage and the effects that it has on the cognitive development of the individual. The first stage that Perry mentions is the dualism which is based on the assumption that every problem is solvable and that learners need to know the right answers and follow rules. In the second stage of multiplicity, learners realize that there are problems that can be solved and others than cannot and they put trust in their inner voice. In the relativism phase, learners believe that all possible solutions to any problem must have a justifiable reason and must be evaluated first. The commitment stage is characterized by the acceptance of uncertainty as part of life and learners apply their experiences and knowledge acquired from outside sources to make conclusions. The urge for education for personal or professional purposes inspires adults to proceed with their education and continue to acquire new knowledge until when they start developing memory problems due to old age.
The physiological and psychological processes that happen in the human body as well as the external factors in the environment influence adult learning. Jane Loevinger outlines the theory of ego development to justify how adults interact with the world around them and learn from it. According to the model, the development of ego begins from the self’s interaction with the world as it seeks to interact with, make meaning out of it, and create perceptions or images about the world and relate to other things or people in it. Daloz suggests that adults experience continuous change as they transform to adapt to new experiences and gain new knowledge. Cognitive development continues to take place in adult learners as they learn new things in their life; however, their capability to learn diminishes because of the physiological changes that occur with aging.