ABSTRACT
Human development theories form the foundation for Applied Behavioural Science models which will be studied in our subsequent chapters. They provide a framework and lens to observe, diagnose and intervene with individual participants in a T-Group. These theories began with Erik Erikson (1982) and were later extended by others including Gail Sheehy (1996) and Daniel Levinson (1978, 1996). The work by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey (1995) provides a new paradigm for understanding human development. The work on human development was initiated after referencing work done by Sigmund Freud (1905) on psychosexual development and the process of individuation articulated by Carl Jung (1935).
Learning is closely linked to the development process and this chapter gives an overview of learning theories including the cognitive learning theory of Jean Piaget (1950), social learning by Albert Bandura (1977, 1986) and the experiential learning theories from Carl Rogers (1995), David Kolb (1984), and Paulo Freire (2000). The learning theories, especially experiential learning, form the core and essence of T-Groups.
This chapter concludes with a brief introduction to the multiple intelligence model by Howard Gardener (1983) which has influenced education and learning approaches. A brief overview of developments in neuroscience that may be useful for understanding processes in T-Groups is introduced at the end. The chapter also gives pointers to further reading and reflections for the reader.
