Havighurst, Robert

Robert Havighurst (1900–1991) was faculty member in the former School of Education at the University of Chicago. He was a twentieth-century developmental psychologist who formalized the concept of developmental tasks imbedded in the structure of educational and social organization. According to Havighurst, his concept of developmental tasks occupied the middle ground between the educational theory of freedom (i.e., a person will develop best if left as free as possible) and the educational theory of constraint (a person will become a useful member of society only by being shaped through societial constraints). For Havighurst, successful mastery of developmental tasks required that individuals be active learners who were constantly interacting with their environment. Therefore, Havighurst's developmental tasks were, by definition, tied to problem-based learning. In essence, the processes within the educational system required that certain skills/knowledge be mastered during a certain time frame to ensure future success in the system. Failure to master these tasks increased the likelihood that a person would experience problems in future educational and social environments.

For example, a fifth-grade student might be intellectually and socially gifted (very bright and well liked by his peers) yet experience academic difficulty due to an inability to bring materials to class, write down homework assignments, or read required homework. These skills are developmental tasks associated with the middle school years and becoming a self-initiating, independent learner. His inability to master these developmental tasks might cause him to be retained for reasons not related to his ability (short-term problems). The failure to master the tasks of fifth grade could further put him at risk for success during his high school experience (long-term problems).

Havighurst attributed a great deal of his work and thinking to Erik Erikson, with whom he worked during a postdoctoral appointment at Harvard University. Havighurst's developmental tasks and their impact on human development were similar to Erikson's theory of psychosocial development and his perspective on the problems of various developmental periods.

A key component of Havighurst's theory of developmental tasks was that of the teachable moment. He believed that there were periods during development in which specific developmental tasks were presented and mastered most effectively. These were the teachable moments, in which educational professionals should structure the instructional and classroom environments to enhance the opportunity for students to engage in the developmental tasks and facilitate mastery of those tasks.

Havighurst refined and expanded his theory as his work progressed to include adolescents, young adults, and mature individuals. He suggested that the nature [Page 448]of developmental tasks was imbedded in all aspects of human experience and continued throughout the life span. He emphasized sociocultural patterns, values, and problems that adults had to adjust to as they matured. His theory has become an integral part of theory and practice at the secondary level of educational organizations and in adult education.

Havighurst held the position that the developmental tasks embedded in educational and social structures were weighted against persons of color and that the standard traditional methods of instruction were not only ineffective, but incomprehensible to these individuals. He suggested alternative educational methods and approaches for this group as a means of facilitating personal development. Havighurst's work contributed to the later development of multicultural education initiatives.

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