Reflective Thinking
- A type of logical thinking that may emerge in adulthood, involving continuous, active evaluation of information and beliefs in the light of evidence and implications.
- Almost all adults develop the capacity for reflective thinking, although few attain optimal proficiency in this skill.
- Emerges between ages 20-25 due to the full myelination of the cortical regions of the brain that handle higher level thinking.
Post-formal Thought
- A mature type of thinking that relies on subjective experience and intuition as well as logic and is useful in dealing with ambiguity, uncertainty, inconsistency, contradiction, imperfection, and compromise.
- Emerges in young adulthood, often through exposure to higher education.
- This thought is less rigid and more relativistic than during adolescence.
- Criteria for post-formal thought:
- Shifting gears between abstract and real world
- Problem definition
- Process-product shift
- Pragmatism
- Recognizing multiple solutions
- Awareness of the paradox that problems and solutions involve conflict
- Self-referential thought
Insight and Know-How
- Sternberg's triarchic theory of intelligence states we have individual improvements in componential intelligence, experiential knowledge, and contextual knowledge.
- Not everyone scores high in all three areas. We individually have strengths and weaknesses in our combinations of these areas.
- Tacit knowledge develops as an aspect in practical, or contextual knowledge. This is the ability to have common sense and manage the self or others.
Emotional Intelligence
- The ability to understand and regulate emotions; an important component for effective intelligent behavior.
- Affects the quality of personal relationships as well as one's effectiveness at work.
- Developed by K. Warner Schaie to look at the developing use of intellect within a social context.
- Consists of seven stages that revolve around motivating goals that emerge at various stages of life:
- Acquisitive Stage
- Achieving Stage
- Responsible Stage
- Executive Stage
- Reorganizational Stage
- Reintegrative Stage
- Legacy-Creating Stage
- These stages represent the shift from acquisition of information and skills to practical integration of knowledge and skills to a search for meaning and purpose.
(Papalia, 2009, p. 435-439)
Maintaing Occupational Balance during Cognitive Advancements
The shift to these higher level cognitive abilities can be emotionally unsettling for young adults. In order to maintain occupational balance during this transition young adults should attempt to select jobs that are intellectually stimulating. Also by partaking in activities that are meaningful to them, young adults will find it easier to integrate these new skills into their everyday life.
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