Growing up physically and getting older does not necessarily mean that we are also developing mentally, psychologically and emotionally. We all know the stages of child development, but what about adults? There are many of them, but I want to introduce you one which I find very interesting . Robert Kegan, a professor at Harvard University Graduate School of Education, has been studying adult learning and professional development for more than 30 years and I would like to introduce you his theory of Adult Development.
Becoming an ‘adult’ means moving to higher levels of personal growth. It involves developing a sense of self, gaining wisdom, and becoming more socially mature. It's about becoming more self-aware, controlling our behavior better, and improving how we manage relationships and social influences. Growing as an adult, no matter our age or IQ, is about developing complex thinking and analysis skills, which Robert Kegan calls ‘Mental Complexity’.
However, most of us—about 65%—never reach high levels of adult development and stay at Stage 3 out of 5 stages. We still lack an independent sense of self because so much of what we think, believe, and feel depends on how we think others see us.
Becoming an ‘adult’ means moving to higher levels of personal growth. It involves developing a sense of self, gaining wisdom, and becoming more socially mature. It's about becoming more self-aware, controlling our behavior better, and improving how we manage relationships and social influences. Growing as an adult, no matter our age or IQ, is about developing complex thinking and analysis skills, which Robert Kegan calls ‘Mental Complexity’.
However, most of us—about 65%—never reach high levels of adult development and stay at Stage 3 out of 5 stages. We still lack an independent sense of self because so much of what we think, believe, and feel depends on how we think others see us.
In this theory there are 2 important ideas:
- Transformation - Development is about changing how the mind sees the world, not just adding new knowledge and experiences.
- I Am vs. I Have - Transformation changes what the mind sees as part of its identity (something unchangeable) versus something it can control.
These ideas about transformation and identity help us understand how we grow as adults. Next, we’ll look at Robert Kegan's stages of adult development to see how this growth happens.
The 5 Stages of Kegan’s Adult Development Theory
Stage 1: Impulsive Mind
- This stage is related to children. Individuals at this stage hardly control their feelings, wishes, and reactions.
Stage 2: Imperial Mind (Adolescence, Some Adults)
- Percentage: 6% of the adult population
- Characteristics:
- We understand that we have distinct needs, interests, and wants.
- We are conscious that other people have different needs and wants, but we are still too distanced in our thinking to consider their needs.
- Relationships are entirely transactional, operating mostly on the basis of rewards—i.e., what do I want and how do I get it?
Stage 3: Socialized Mind (Most Adults)
- Percentage: 58% of the adult population
- Characteristics:
- We can grasp and internalize what other people think, feel, and want, which guides how we think and act.
- What we know and believe comes from others rather than our own independent thinking.
- We develop our sense of self based on the groups we attach to and look for external validation to define what we believe, feel, and think.
- We take personal responsibility for how others experience us and think about us.
- Focus on following rules, traditions, and norms.
- Difficulty letting go of harmful relationships.
For example, with regards to cheating:
- Stage 2 cheater — worried about getting caught and the consequences (breaking up, being kicked out, etc.)
- Stage 3 cheater— feel guilty and a disturbing dissonance because cheating is wrong and goes against his/her belief system and values.
For many people, social maturity seems to stop here. However, the potential for continued development continues onwards and upwards.
Stage 4: Self-Authoring Mind
- Percentage: 35% of the adult population
- Characteristics:
- We develop an internal sense of direction and the capacity to create and follow our own course.
- We can question expectations and values, take stands, set limits, and solve problems independently.
- We listen to others' opinions, ideas, and beliefs and decide for ourselves what we think.
- We reflect on our actions and modify behavior to achieve different results.
- Decisions are made to be consistent with our ideology or identity.
Stage 5: Self-Transforming Mind
- Percentage: 1% of the adult population
- Characteristics:
- We become fluid and unattached to specific identities, roles, and beliefs.
- We can hold multiple thoughts and ideologies at once, understanding things from many different perspectives.
- The mind is no longer subject to its filters (identity, ideologies) but can step back to examine, update, or hold multiple filters simultaneously.
According to Kegan, people often see themselves at a higher stage than they actually are. We are making very optimistic assessments about ourselves!
So, what stage of adult development would you like to be at?
What stage are people around you at?
What stage are the leaders around you at?
If you're interested and let me know, I'll continue by sharing how to transition from one stage to the next.
So, what stage of adult development would you like to be at?
What stage are people around you at?
What stage are the leaders around you at?
If you're interested and let me know, I'll continue by sharing how to transition from one stage to the next.