Abstract
This paper compares the different ways that intellectual development has been described by W. Perry (1970) and M. Belenky, B. Clinchy, N. Goldberger, and J. Tarule (1986); M. Baxter Magolda (1992); and P. King and K. Kitchener (1994). The similarities are summarized into a comprehensive, gender-neutral 4-stage model (E. J. West, 1996). The nature of the stages is discussed from both a constructivist-developmental perspective (H. G. Furth, 1981; A. Colby & L. Kohlberg, 1987) and using skill-complexity theory (M. L. Commons, E. J. Trudeau, S. A. Stein, F. A. Richards, & S. R. Krause, 1998; M. L. Commons, D. Danaher-Gilpin, P. M. Miller, & E. A. Goodheart, 2002). Educational implications are proposed.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Baxter Magolda M. B. (1992). Knowing and reasoning in college: Gender-related patterns in students' intellectual development. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Belenky M. F., Clinchy B. M., Goldberger N. R., & Tarule J. M. (1986). Women's ways of knowing: The development of self, voice and mind. New York: Basic Books.
Colby A., & Kohlberg L. (1987). Measurement of moral judgment. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Commons M. L., Danaher-Gilpin D., Miller P. M., & Goodheart E. A. (2002). Hierarchical complexity scoring system: How to score anything. Unpublished scoring manual. Available from Dare Institute, commons@tiac.net
Commons M. L., Trudeau E. J., Stein S. A., Richards F. A., & Krause S. R. (1998). Hierarchical complexity of tasks shows the existence of developmental stages. Developmental Review, 18, 237-278.
Dawson T. (2004). Assessing intellectual development: Three approaches, one sequence. Journal of Adult Development, 11, 71-85.
Droz R., & Rahmy M. (1972). Understanding Piaget. New York: International Universities Press.
Fischer K. W. (1980). A theory of cognitive development: The control and construction of hierarchies of skills. Psychological Review, 87, 477-531.
Fosnot C. T. (1996). A psychological theory of learning. In C. Fosnot (Ed.), Constructivism: theories, perspectives, and practice (pp. 8-33). New York: Teachers College Press.
Furth H. G. (1981). Piaget and knowledge—Theoretical foundations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
King P. M., & Kitchener K. S. (1994). Developing reflective judgment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
King P. M., Kitchener K. S., Wood P. K., & Davison M. L. (1989). Relationships across developmental domains: A longitudinal study of intellectual, moral, and ego development. In M. L. Commons, J. D. Sinnott, F. A. Richards, & C. Armon (Eds.), Adult development, Vol. 1: Comparisons and applications of developmental models (pp. 57-72). New York: Praeger.
Kitchener K. S., & Fischer K. W. (1990). A skill approach to the development of reflective thinking. In D. Kuhn (Ed.), Contributions to human development: Vol. 21. Developmental perspectives on teaching and learning thinking skills (pp. 48-62). New York: Karger.
Kitchener K. S., & King P. M. (1985). Reflective judgment scoring manual. (Available from K. Kitchener, School of Education, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208 or P. King, Department of Higher Education and Student Affairs, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, 43403.)
Kitchener K. S., & King P. M. (1990). The reflective judgment model: Ten years of research. In M. L. Commons, C. Armon, L. Kohlberg, F. A. Richards, T. A. Grotzer, & J. D. Sinnott (Eds.), Adult development, Vol. 2: Models and methods in the study of adolescent and adult thought (pp. 63-78). New York: Praeger.
Kohlberg L., & Armon C. (1984). Three models for the study of adult development. In M. L. Commons, F. A. Richards, & C. Armon (Eds.), Beyond formal operations: Late adolescent and adult cognitive development (pp. 383-394). New York: Praeger.
Lincoln Y. S., & Guba E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Murray F. B. (1992). Reconstructing and constructivism: The development of American educational reform. In H. Beilin, & P. Pufall (Eds.), Piaget's theory—Prospects and possibilities. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Perry W. G. (1970). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Selman R. L. (1980). The growth of interpersonal understanding: Development and clinical analyses. New York: Academy Press.
Wadsworth B. J. (1984). Piaget's theory of cognitive and affective development. New York: Longman.
West E. J. (1996). College students' ways of thinking about science. Unpublished master's thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
West, E.J. Perry's Legacy: Models of Epistemological Development. Journal of Adult Development 11, 61–70 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JADE.0000024540.12150.69
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JADE.0000024540.12150.69