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Handbook of Adult Development pp 169–198Cite as

Reflective Thinking in Adulthood

Emergence, Development, and Variation

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Part of the book series: The Springer Series in Adult Development and Aging ((SSAD))

Abstract

Reflective thinking is a complex form of cognition almost exclusively associated with adulthood and adult development. It was first defined by John Dewey as “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it, and the further conclusions to which it tends” (1910/1991, p. 6). The key elements of Dewey’s definition—the use of evidence and reasoning, the questioning of knowledge and beliefs, and the active pursuit of justifiable conclusions—constitute the basis for most contemporary theories that address, in whole or in part, the development of reflective thinking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Psychology, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA

    Kurt W. Fischer & Ellen Pruyne

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  1. Kurt W. Fischer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Jack Demick

  2. Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA

    Carrie Andreoletti

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Fischer, K.W., Pruyne, E. (2002). Reflective Thinking in Adulthood. In: Demick, J., Andreoletti, C. (eds) Handbook of Adult Development. The Springer Series in Adult Development and Aging. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0617-1_10

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