This paper invokes cognitive developmental theory as a means for preparing citizens to deal with and resolve conflicts within or across nations. We take the centuries-old Greek-Turkish dispute as an example. We first outline a theory of intellectual development postulating that mental changes emerge in response to changing developmental priorities…

Procedures for identifying the gifted often make use of tests of general intelligence, among other assessments. Robert J. Sternberg recently suggested that identification of the gifted should further involve assessment of what he refers to as adaptive intelligence--the ability to adapt to real-world environments. Such a conception of intelligence…

We present a youth development intervention program and its evaluation. Deriving from the theories of agentic self and positive youth development, we adopted a holistic perspective that focused on social agency with growth mindset and self-efficacy conceptualized as its motivators. The intervention consisted of 14 weekly sessions with 508 sixth…

Debates about human nature often revolve around what is built in. However, the hallmark of human nature is how much of a person's identity is not built in; rather, it is humans' great capacity to adapt, change, and grow. This nature versus nurture debate matters--not only to students of human nature--but to everyone. It matters whether people…

A just and caring education aims to cultivate both character and intelligence. Peacemakers (like Aristotle, Saint Augustine, and Gandhi) combine an unusually developed sense of compassion and humility with a firm, clear perception of right conduct on which they act with uncommon courage. They fight fire with water whenever possible, but are…

Drawn from a 1967 conference on gerontology, these 11 papers consider the nature of age changes (for better or worse) in high grade intellectual work and decision making of the kind found in industrial management and comparable walks of life. The first paper draws implications for higher intellectual activities from existing knowledge of age…