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The Five Stages Of Adult Development

Natali Mallel (Morad) on the meaning of being an adult.

Psychologist Robert Kegan at the Harvard Graduate School of Education found that humans tend to progress through five stages of development:

Stage 1: Impulsive mind (early childhood, few adults)

Stage 2: Imperial mind (adolescence, 6% of adults)

Stage 3: Socialized mind (58% of adults)

Stage 4: Self-authoring mind (35% of adults)

Stage 5: Self-transforming mind (1% of adults)

The stages expanded:

1. Stage 1: The Impulsive Mind (Egocentric): At this stage, individuals are primarily concerned with their own needs and desires. They have limited empathy and struggle with impulse control.
2. Stage 2: The Imperial Mind (Ethnocentric): In this stage, individuals identify strongly with their social groups, such as family, tribe, or nation. They conform to group norms and often view outsiders with suspicion.
3. Stage 3: The Socialized Mind (World-Centric): Individuals at this stage develop a greater empathy capacity and question societal norms. They seek fairness and justice on a broader scale and are open to diverse perspectives.
4. Stage 4: The Self-Authoring Mind (Inner-Centric): Here, individuals develop a strong sense of self and personal values at this stage. They can hold their own beliefs while respecting others’ viewpoints. They are goal-oriented and can adapt to various roles.
5. Stage 5: The Self-Transforming Mind (Integral or Global-Centric): Individuals at this stage have a holistic worldview. They are comfortable with ambiguity, paradox, and multiple perspectives. They seek interconnectedness and are committed to personal and societal growth.

It’s common to imagine kids going through developmental phases (my friends with

toddlers anxiously await the end of the “terrible twos”!) but less common to think of adults doing the same.

Let me rephrase that. As adults, we often view life as a path in which we unlock new

skills and opportunities, deepening our mastery along the way. That’s different from

Kegan’s theory, in which how you see yourself radically changes as you grow.

Stage 3 is your typical socialized adult who makes decisions based on what’s

conventionally appropriate. You identify with your role, relationships, and

community. 

At Stage 4, you question conventions and your community. 

As you ascend toward Stage 5, you begin to accept (or even enjoy) the inherent blurriness of your identity and life itself. You can step outside of yourself and imagine all the paths you might take, all the people you might become. 

Realizations include:

Nothing is black or white. (“I’m not ‘smart.’ I’m smart in some situations and stupid in others.”)

You can question both authority and yourself.

You embrace paradox.

When I first read about the “self-transforming mind” it felt scary to me. So malleable! So unstable! But Kegan thinks of it more as radical self-awareness.

One practical tip to approach Stage Five-dom: 

If you feel conflicted about something (say, a career move), sit in a chair and set out chairs for all the different versions of you — the fearful you, the angry you, the ambitious you. Sit in each chair and say what you’re afraid, angry, or excited about. It seems silly but will help train your brain to do the same thing internally.

These stages represent an evolution in an individual’s cognitive and emotional development, with each stage building upon the previous ones.

It’s important to note that not everyone progresses through all these stages, and some may remain at a particular stage throughout their lives.