Applications for Psychology in Adult Learning

Psychology and adult learning are inherently linked given their focus upon the internal processes of the mind. The field of psychology has increasingly been applied to inform the adult education practice. Psychology is oftentimes incorporated into the foundation of the training that is received by adult educators in training. The field of psychology provides answers to questions that are common within adult education. These questions include “What motivates students to attend classes? Through what processes to adults learn best? How can I adjust my teaching practices to take into account the learning styles of my students?” (Tennant, 2006). The capacity of adult educators to effectively understand the learning processes and needs of their students is aided significantly through the application of psychology and developmental psychology.

Developmental psychology is important to the adult education practitioner as adults are still experiencing development, albeit in a differing fashion than children or young adults. Education in development psychology enables the educator to better understand the anxieties and concerns of the students. Further, ways through which such difficulties may be overcome are likewise informed through the application of psychology. The primary functions of the adult educator that are supported through the foundation of psychology are controlling the events of the learning environment, interpreting and influencing events, and finally to gain a critical understanding of events, in addition to one’s actions related to them (Tennant, 2006). It is through the foundation of psychology that the educator is able to understand the student, and thereby effectively tailor their practices to the student, as w...

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...on is achieved is different as the context of life and learning are different between adults and other learners.

Applying New Learning to Practice

The position of the adult is unique, and each individual adult likewise has a unique position. To optimize the learning environment for the adult, it is thereby the prerogative of the adult educator to effectively quantify the position of their students. While common processes may be utilized to provide the foundation for the course, through the investment of additional individualized attention, those unique psychological barriers in place for a given student may be effectively identified and ultimately overcome. Adults, while having largely completed their physical development, may nonetheless continue to grow cognitively, underlining the central role of developmental psychology in the field of adult education.