The recently published International Handbook of Adult Development and Wisdom was edited by Professor Emerita of Psychology at Fielding Graduate University Judith Stevens-Long and Eeva K. Kallio, Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Tampere in Finland. This handbook incorporates researchers from multiple countries to examine theory and research about wisdom and its relationship to adult development. It covers recent research on the various definitions of wisdom, wisdom from a cultural context, and how wisdom can be integrated into the adult development field.
New handbook on wisdom:
The International Handbook of Adult Development and Wisdom edited by Judith Stevens-Long and Eeva K. Kallio
"Our main intention was to integrate two psychological fields together. It seemed obvious to both Judy and me that life-span and adult development models have important knowledge about wisdom as it does not manifest suddenly from nothing. Wisdom has its own route of changes, progress and development. We also tried to keep in mind female scholar contributions who have unique views and something more to say which may have been overlooked in the past within these fields of study" says Eeva K. Kallio, one of the editors of the book.
The handbook opens with an introduction by Dr. Judith Stevens-Long where she offers a brief history in wisdom and adult development including a discussion of various models of wisdom. In the second chapter, she and co-author Abigail Lynam expand on research and theory in the development of wisdom to cover wisdom based on expert knowledge and personal wisdom from emotional maturity.
Subsequent chapters include contributions from renown wisdom researchers such as Monika Ardelt, Eeva K. Kallio, Michel Ferrari and many more to discuss how systems thinking, developmental stages, and integrative frameworks can contribute to wisdom. Later chapters touch on cultural contexts of wisdom for social wisdom, reciprocal interactions of wisdom and spiritual experience, humility, and profound insight in cohorts from Iran, China, and India. There are two chapters of Gandhi's life and development of wisdom, and some singular wisdom models as well. The closing chapters of the handbook tackle wisdom gained from life lessons, self-development, and personal well-being and applications of wisdom in the workplace. The final chapter is especially written for younger scholars with new ideas to be studied in the future in these fields.
