Psychological Backgrounds of Adult Education. Notes and Essays on Education for Adults, 40.

At the Syracuse University Conference held at Sagamore, New York, and attended by leading adult educators, four papers focused on the latest research in the field of psychology, relevant to adult education. James E. Birren stated that while changes in physiological drive, speed, and perceptual acuity may limit the older individual's learning performance, other factors, such as special motivation, may facilitate it. In general, tests involving perceptual content show decrements with age whereas tests which allow for accumulated experience (such as vocabulary) show increments. And, it may be that the number of years out of school does affect one's expectancy to learn and ability to seek out the crucial elements in a learning situation. Bernice L. Neugarten stated that the development of the ego is, for the first two-thirds of the life span, outward toward the environment; for the last part, inward toward the self. Raymond G. Kuhlen declared that motives may be changed during adulthood if the individual is exposed to a new set of punishment and rewards, or when changing needs must be met. W. J. McKeachie maintained that the adult education teacher must adjust his approach as he sizes up each class and receives feedback from them. (se).