Description
Book SynopsisIf contemporary culture were a school, with all the tasks and expectations meted out by modern life as its curriculum, would anyone graduate? In the spirit of a sympathetic teacher, Robert Kegan guides us through this tricky curriculum, assessing the fit between its complex demands and our mental capacities.
Trade ReviewA stimulating tour through the modern mind in society…
In Over Our Heads is full of insight; it reflects broad learning and enormous intellectual effort. -- David Mehegan * Boston Sunday Globe *
[This book] is intellectually exciting and far-reaching in its implications… Kegan’s writing has much to offer developmental psychology, which suffers from a dearth of theoretical frameworks in the area of adult development… This book invites readers to work hard but rewards them greatly. There are foundation-shaking theoretical and research challenges here for mainstream psychology, especially behavioral and social learning approaches that focus on skill training and cumulative (quantitative) change… I thoroughly recommend this exciting book… It has the potential to transform our texts on life span development. It is a book that opens up whole new vistas for developmental researchers, as well as psychologists whose practice includes adult clients. -- Marie R. Joyce * Contemporary Psychology *
A dazzling intellectual tour…
In Over Our Heads provides us with entirely fresh perspectives on a number of cultural controversies—the ‘abstinence vs. safe sex’ debate, the diversity movement, communication across genders, the meaning of postmodernism. * Health and Recovery *
Table of ContentsPrologue I. The Mental Demand of Adolescence 1. The Hidden Curriculum of Youth: "Whaddaya Want from Me?" 2. Coaching the Curriculum: A Bridge Must Be Well Anchored on Either Side II. The Mental Demand of Private Life: Parenting and Partnering 3. Parenting: Minding Our Children 4. Partnering: Love and Consciousness III. The Mental Demand of Public Life: Work and Self-Expansion 5. Working: On Seeking to Hire the Self-Employed 6. Dealing with Difference: Communication between the Sexes/Communication between the Theories 7. Healing: The Undiscussed Demands of Psychotherapy 8. Learning: "The Teacher Wants Us to Be Self-Directing" IV. The Mental Demand of Postmodern Life 9. Conflict, Leadership, and Knowledge Creation 10. On Being Good Company for the Wrong Journey Epilogue Notes Index
