Character Analysis: Adult Development Theory

Assignment Using Adult Development Theory, you will analyze each of the 4 main characters (Snowman, Jimmy, Oryx, and Crake) in Oryx and Crake.

Steps 1. Learn about adult development theory 2. Apply development theory to each of the 4 main characters in order to explain their behavior. 3. Justify your choices using quotes from the book and analysis 4. Present your analysis to the class in a visually appealing way.

Behavior Behavior is the result of the interaction between a person and the environment.

Behavior Behavior is the result of the interaction between a person and the environment.

Formula to Predict Behavior: Kurt Lewin (1936) Behavior (B) is a function (f) of the interaction (X) of person (P) and environment (E). (qtd. in Evans, et al. p. 29).

Adult Development Theory

Overview Personality Type How People Learn (Learning Style Theory) How People Develop (Psychosocial Stage Theory) How People Make Moral Decisions (Morality Development )

Personality Types

Think! As we go through the information, think about what personality type best describes each of our 3 main characters.

Myers-Briggs Theory of Personality Type Introverts: “interacting with the external world is draining; they tend to be reflective and enjoy solitude” (Evans, et al. p. 35). Extroverts: “stimulated by the external world…; they enjoy social interaction and activity” (Evans, et al. p. 35).

Holland’s Personality Types 1. Realistic People 2. Investigative Types 3. Artistic People 4. Social Individuals 5. Enterprising Types 6. Conventional Types

Holland’s Personality Types 1. Realistic People: prefer working with tools or machines 2. Investigative Types: prefer systematic investigation of the physical world 3. Artistic People: prefer spontaneous and creative endeavors 4. Social Individuals: prefer working with others to enlighten 5. Enterprising Types: prefer working with others to achieve a material goal. 6. Conventional Types: prefer working with data in systematic ways

Learning Style

Think! As we go through the information, think about what learning style or stage best describes each of our 4 main characters.

Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning David Kolb (1984) According to Kolb (1984), learning is “the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience.” 1. Concrete Experiences 2. Reflective Observation 3. Abstract Conceptualization 4. Active Experimentation

Kolb’s Learning Styles Each time they encounter a new learning situation, learners must choose which learning abilities they will use: Concrete Experience and Abstract Conceptualization = grasping dimensions Reflective Observation and Active Experimentation = processing dimension

Kolb’s Learning Styles Accommodating Diverging Assimilating Converging

Trends Unless students are aware of their personal preferences and actively seek new ways of learning, students often end up in: Converging learning style = often found in physical sciences or engineering Diverging Learning Styles = often found in humanities and liberal Arts Assimilating style = often found in basic sciences and engineering Accommodating Style =often found in practical fields such as business

King and Kitchener’s Reflective Judgement Model When faced with ill-structured problems (problems that have no single correct answer), people react in three ways: 1. Pre-reflective Thinkers 2. Quasi-Reflective Thinkers 3. Reflective Thinkers

“Ill-Structured Problems” Problems with no single, certain right answer Examples: Hunger Overpopulation Pollution Inflation

King and Kitchener’s Reflective Judgement Model When faced with ill-structured problems (problems that have no single correct answer), 1. Pre-reflective Thinkers 2. Quasi-Reflective Thinkers 3. Reflective Thinkers

King and Kitchener’s Reflective Judgement Model When faced with ill-structured problems (problems that have no single correct answer), 1. Pre-reflective Thinkers: cannot acknowledge or recognize that knowledge is uncertain. 2. Quasi-Reflective Thinkers: realize that ill-structured problems exist, but have trouble balancing evidence with uncertainty 3. Reflective Thinkers: maintain knowledge is actively constructed, and claims of knowledge must be viewed in relation to the content which they were generated

Baxter Magolda’s Model of Epistemological Reflection (1986) 1. Absolute Knowledge: knowledge is viewed as certain 1. Receiving Knowledge: 2. Mastering Knowledge 2. Transitional Knowing: acceptance that some knowledge is uncertain 1. Interpersonal knowing: 2. Impersonal Knowing: 3. Independent Knowing: knowledge is mostly uncertain 1. Inter-individual patterns: 2. Individual patterns: 4. Contextual Knowing: legitimacy of knowledge claims is determined contextually

Psychosocial Identity Development The Influence of Environment

Think! As we go through the information, think about what developmental stage best describes each of our 4 main characters.

Psychosocial Theories Each new stage occurs when internal biological and psychological changes interact with environmental demands.

Marcia’s Identity Statuses Exploration (or Crisis): involves the questioning of values and goals defined by parents and weighing various identity alternatives and their potential repercussions. Commitment: attaching ownership to pronounced choices, values, and goals.

Marcia’s Identity Statuses 1. Foreclosure (No Crisis/Commitment) 2. Moratorium (Crisis/No Commitment) 3. Identity Achievement (Crisis/Commitment) 4. Diffusion (No Crisis/No Commitment)

Marcia’s Identity Statuses 1. Foreclosure (No Crisis/Commitment): accept parental values without questioning them. 2. Moratorium (Crisis/No Commitment): actively question parental values in order to form their identity. They vacillate between choices, which manifests as anxiety or sensitivity. They will waver between resistance and conforming to authority. 3. Identity Achievement (Crisis/Commitment):Comes after an extensive period of crisis and they’ve made strong commitments to identity. 4. Diffusion (No Crisis/No Commitment): having experienced no crisis, these individuals refuse or are unable to commit to any identity.

Chickering’s Theory of Identity Development Arthur Chickering (1969) saw the establishment of identity as “the core developmental issue with which students grapple during their college years” (Evans, et al. p. 65)

Chickering identified seven vectors that he described as “major highways for journeying towards individuation.” The journey on each vector “may be expressed more appropriately by a spiral or by steps than by a straight line.”

Seven Vectors 1. Developing Competence 2. Managing Emotions 3. Moving through Autonomy Towards Interdependence 4. Developing mature Interpersonal Relationships 5. Establishing Identity 6. Developing Purpose 7. Developing Integrity

Moral Development Theory

Think! As we go through the information, think about what stage best describes the moral development of each of our 3 main characters.

Kohlberg’s Theory 1. Pre-conventional: individuals have not yet come to understand societal rules and expectations 2. Conventional: individuals identify a set of rules 3. Post-conventional or principled

Kohlberg’s Theory Stage 1: Heteronomous Morality Stage 2: Individualistic, instrumental Morality Stage 3: Interpersonally Normative Morality

Rest’s Neo-Kohlbergian Approach Stage 1: Obedience Stage 2: Instrumental egoism and simple exchange Stage 3: Interpersonal concordance Stage 4: Law and duty to the social order Stage 5: Societal Consensus Stage 6: Non-arbitrary social cooperation

Rest’s Neo-Kohlbergian Approach Stage 1: Obedience Stage 2: Instrumental egoism and simple exchange Stage 3: Interpersonal concordance Stage 4: Law and duty to the social order Stage 5: Societal Consensus Stage 6: Non-arbitrary social cooperation

Rest’s Neo-Kohlbergian Approach Stage 1: Obedience = “Do as you’re told” Stage 2: Instrumental egoism and simple exchange = “Let’s make a deal” Stage 3: Interpersonal concordance=“Be nice and you’ll get along with people” Stage 4: Law and duty to the social order= “Everyone in society is protected by the law” Stage 5: Societal Consensus = “You are obligated by whatever arrangements are agreed upon” Stage 6: Non-arbitrary social cooperation -= “Society best works when people are rational and impartial”

Groups 1. Snowman 2. Jimmy 3. Oryx 4. Crake 5. Children of Crake 6. Jimmy 7. Crake