Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Email: tania. What is it that develops in adult life?
We argue that adult development can be addressed in general terms, beyond domain specificity; drawing on our sociocultural psychology framework, and assuming an open-system perspective, we highlight the two processes of progressive differentiation and psychological distancing in diverse domains of activity. Based on a case-study, we show that, if the general direction of development does entail progressive differentiation and distanciation, these processes can also be hindered by the cumulation of vulnerabilising events.
Finally, we show that some domains, such as the long-standing activity of diary writing, can itself be used as resource for adult development. Keywords: Life-course, adult development, differentiation and distanciation, diary, longitudinal. What is it that develops in adult life, and under which conditions? It is well established that adults learn in specific domains of activity, and especially in the domains of daily life that that are most invested e.
It is also widely agreed that ruptures and transitions in the lifecourse are significant occasions for change and development. But how can we qualify what is learnt?
And are there not ruptures that may impede learning and development? Our goal is to contribute to the theorisation of adult development using longitudinal diary data. Specifically, we will show that learning and development in adult life manifests as changing experiences within domains of activity and their mutual relations, and that it tends to entail progressive differentiation and distanciation.
