Immaturity-Maturity Continuum

According to Chris Argyris, seven changes should take place in the personality of individuals if they are to develop into mature people. First, individuals move from a passive state as infants to a state on increasing activity as adults. Second, individuals develop from a state of dependency upon others as infants to a state of relative independence as adults. Third, individuals behave in only a few ways as infants, but as adults they are capable of behaving in many ways. Fourth, individuals have erratic, casual, and shallow interests as infants, but deeper and stronger interests as adults. Fifth, the time perspective of children is very short, involving only the present, but as they mature, their time perspective increases to include the past and the future. Sixth, individuals as infants are subordinate to everyone, but they move to equal or superior positions with others as adults. Seventh, as children, individuals lack an awareness of a "self." Agryis suggests that these changes reside on a continuum and that the "healthy" personality develops along the continuum from "immaturity" to "maturity."

Immaturity-Maturity Continuum

Immaturity - Maturity

Passive - Active

Dependent - Independent

Behave in a few ways - Capable of behaving in many ways

Erratic shallow interests - Deeper and stronger interests

Short time perspective - Long time perspective (past and future)

Subordinate position - Equal or superordinate position

Lack of awareness of self - Awareness and control over self

People are not a specific place on the continuum based upon a specific chronological age. Each individual is different. As teachers, we must recognize that difference. Additionally, we need to help each child develop along the continuum. In order to do this, different children require different strategies. 

Keeping people immature seems to be built into the very nature of formal organizations such as schools. This concept of formal organizations lead to assumptions about human nature that are incompatible with the proper development of maturity in human personality.