Self-Awareness and Personal Growth: Theory and Application of Bloom’s Taxonomy

Year 2015, , 89 - 110, 30.10.2015

Hasan Uğur Petru-madalin Constantinescu Michael J. Stevens

https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2015.60.6

Abstract

Problem Statement:In this article, we summarize a group-based, self-development curriculum based on humanistic principles, framed by contemporary self-determination theory (SDT), and designed in accordance with Bloom’s Taxonomy. The processes of awareness and integration are common to SDT and Bloom’s Taxonomy, and to our knowledge, have not been applied together with the practical goal of promoting the  studentself-development in an educational setting.

Purpose of the Study:The underlying assumptions of our curriculum hold that (1) the self functions as the psychological agent responsible for regulating personal behavior, and that (2) personal growth is an outcome of the motivation to fulfill intrinsic goals coupled with the integration of learning through an awareness of personal limitations and potentialities. We describe the design and implementation of a school-based curriculum that integrates core elements of SDT with the sequential levels of cognitive and affective learning articulated by Bloom’s Taxonomy and that is intended to facilitate the student self-development.

Method: Three distinct theoretical and empirical ingredients of SDT form the basis of our curriculum: goals and values, organismic integration, and mindful action. These core components of SDT are rooted in the humanistic tradition but can be transformed into a sequence of practical learning goals and activities when viewed through the lens of Bloom’s Taxonomy. We demonstrate how Bloom’s Taxonomy provides the architecture needed to implement the elements of SDT in such a way that students are able to engage in a programmatic process of self-development. In other words, the levels of Bloom Taxonomy are used to structure the application of the broad SDT/humanistic principles on which personal growth is founded.

Findings: Combined with the anecdotal reactions of group members and facilitators, our impressions suggest that the consistent expression of personally selected values and characteristics requires that these aspects first become internalized as meaningful guides for living, second, motivate behavior that is consistent with the chosen values and characteristics, and third, contribute to a sense of well-being and personal growth.

Conclusion and Recommendations: The process of self-development can be facilitated by the internalization of cognitive learning and is supported by affective processes that, together, yield favorable developmental outcomes for students.  Although we did not subject our group-based curriculum to rigorous empirical evaluation, we encourage efforts to establish its effectiveness through qualitative and quantitative research.

Keywords: Self-awareness, motivation, personal growth, Bloom’s Taxonomy

Keywords

Self-awareness, motivation, personal growth, Bloom’s Taxonomy

References

• Allen, K., & Friedman, B. (2010). Affective learning: A taxonomy for teaching social work values. Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics, 7(2). Retrieved August 5, 2013, from http://www.socialworker.com/jswve/fall2010/f10neuman.pdf
• Alloy, L. B., & Abramson, L. Y. (1979). Judgment of contingency in depressed and nondepressed students: Sadder but wiser? Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 108, 441–485. doi:10.1037/0096-3445.108.4.441
• Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: Freeman. Bauer, J. J., & McAdams, D. P. (2004). Growth goals, maturity, and well-being. Developmental Psychology, 40, 114–127. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.40.1.114
• Bauer, J. J., Park, S. W., Montoya, R. M., & Wayment, H. A. (2015). Growth motivation toward two paths of eudaimonic self-development. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16, 185-210. doi:10.1007/s10902-014-9504-9
• Baumeister, R. F., Campbell, J. D., Krueger, J. I., & Vohs, K. D. (2003). Does high selfesteem cause better performance, interpersonal success, happiness, or healthier lifestyles? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 4, 1-44. doi:10.1111/1529-1006.01431
• Berndt, T. J. (1999). Friends' influence on students' adjustment to school. Educational Psychologist, 34, 15-28. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3401_2
• Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, Handbook I: The cognitive domain. New York, NY: David McKay.
• Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York, NY: David McKay.
• Brown, K. W., Ryan, R. M., & Creswell, J. D. (2007). Mindfulness: Theoretical foundation and evidence for its salutary effects. Psychological Inquiry, 18, 211- 237. doi:10.1080/10478400701598298
• Burton, K. D., Lydon, J. E., D’Alessandro, D. U., & Koestner, R. (2006). The differential effects of intrinsic and identified motivation on well-being and performance: Prospective, experimental, and implicit approaches to selfdetermination theory. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 91, 750-762. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.91.4.750
• Buss, D. M. (2000). The evolution of happiness. American Psychologist, 55, 15-23. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.15
• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The 'what' and 'why' of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268. doi:10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
• Fox, E., & Riconscente, M. (2008). Metacognition and self-regulation in James, Piaget, and Vygotsky. Educational Psychology Review, 20, 373-389.doi:10.1007/s10648- 008-9079-2
• Frankl, V. E. (1969). Man’s search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. London, UK: Hodder & Stoughton.
• Frost, K. M., & Frost, C. J. (2000). Romanian and American life aspirations in relation to psychological well-being. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 31, 726–751. doi:10.1177/0022022100031006004
• Inzlicht, M., Bartholow. B. D., & Hirsh, J. B. (2015). Opinion: Emotional foundations of cognitive control. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19, 26-132. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2015.01.004
• Jahoda, M. (1953). The meaning of psychological health. Social Casework, 34, 349-354.
• Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (1993). A dark side of the American dream: Correlates of financial success as a central life aspiration. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 65, 410-422. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.65.2.410
• Kiaci, Y. A., & Reico, T. G., Jr. (2014). Goal pursuit and eudaimonic well-being among university students: Metacognition as the mediator. Behavioral Development Bulletin, 19(4), 91-104. doi:10.1037/h0101085
• Kidder, R. M. (1994a). Shared values for a troubled world: Conversations with men and women of conscience. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
• Kidder, R. M. (1994b). Universal human values. Futurist, 28(4), 8-13.
• Kinnier, R. T., Kernes, J. L., & Dautheribes, T. M. (2000). A short list of universal moral values. Counseling & Values, 45, 4-17. doi:10.1002/j.2161- 007X.2000.tb00178.x
• Krathwohl, D. R. (2002). A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An overview. Theory into Practice, 41, 212-264. doi:10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2
• Krathwohl, D. R., & Anderson, W. L. (2010). Merlin C. Wittrock and the revision of Bloom's Taxonomy. Educational Psychologist, 45,64-65. doi:10.1080/00461520903433562
• Levesque, C., & Brown, K. W. (2007). Mindfulness as a moderator of the effect of implicit motivational self-concept on day-to-day behavioral motivation.
• Motivation & Emotion, 31, 284-299. doi:10.1007/s11031-007-9075-8 Levesque, C., Copeland, K. J., & Sutcliffe, R. A. (2008). Conscious and nonconscious processes: Implications for self-determination theory. Canadian Psychology, 49, 218-224. doi:10.1037/a0012756
• Maslow, A. H. (1950). Self-actualizing people: A study of psychological health. PersonalitySymposium, 1, 11-34. Maslow, A. H. (1968). Toward a psychology of being (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Van Nostrand.
• Newman, R. S. (2000). Social influences on the development of children's adaptive help seeking: The role of parents, teachers, and peers. Developmental Review, 20, 350-404. doi:10.1006/drev.1999.0502
• Pintrich, P. R., & de Groot, E. V. (1990). Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82, 33-40. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.82.1.33
• Régner, I., Loose, F., & Dumas, F. (2009). Students' perceptions of parental and teacher academic involvement: Consequences on achievement goals. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 24, 263-277. doi:10.1007/BF03173016d
• Robins, R. W., & Beer, J. S. (2001). Positive illusions about the self: Short-term benefits and long-term costs. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 80, 340-352. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.80.2.340
• Roeser, R. W., & Peck, S. C. (2009). An education in awareness: Self, motivation, and self-regulated learning in contemplative perspective. Educational Psychologist, 44, 119-136. doi:10.1080/00461520902832376
• Rogers, C. R. (1961). On becoming a person: A therapist's view of psychotherapy. London, UK: Constable.
• Rogers, C. R. (1964). Toward a modern approach to values: The valuing process in the mature person. Journal of Abnormal & Social Psychology, 68, 160-167. doi:10.1037/h0046419
• Ryan, A. M. (2000). Peer groups as a context for the socialization of adolescents' motivation, engagement, and achievement in school. Educational Psychologist, 35, 101-111. doi:10.1207/S15326985EP3502_4
• Ryan, R. M., Chirkov, V. I., Little, T. D., Sheldon, K. M., Timoshina, E., & Deci, E. L. (1999). The American dream in Russia: Extrinsic aspirations and well-being in two cultures. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 25, 1509-1524. doi:10.1177/01461672992510007
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). The darker and brighter sides of human existence: Basic psychological needs as a unifying concept. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 319- 338. doi:10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_03
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2001). On happiness and human potentials: A review of research on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. In S. Fiske (Ed.), Annual review of psychology (Vol. 52, pp. 141-166). Palo Alto, CA: Annual Reviews.
• Ryan, R. M., Huta, V., & Deci, E. L. (2008). Living well: A self-determination theory perspective on eudaimonia. Journal of Happiness Studies, 9, 139-170. doi:10.1007/s10902-006-9023-4
• Schmuck, P., Kasser, T., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The relationship of well-being to intrinsic and extrinsic goals in Germany and the U.S. Social Indicators Research, 50, 225-241. doi:10.1023/A:1007084005278
• Schneider, K. (2011). Toward a humanistic positive psychology: Why can’t we just get along. Journal of the Society for Existential Analysis, 22, 32-38
• Schueller, S. M., & Seligman, M. E. (2010). Pursuit of pleasure, engagement, and meaning: Relationships to subjective and objective measures of well-being. Journal of Positive Psychology, 5, 253-263. doi:10.1080/17439761003794130
• Schunk, D. H. (1999). Social-self interaction and achievement behavior. Educational
• Psychologist, 34, 219-227. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep3404_3 Schwartz, S. H. (2006). Les valeurs de base de la personne: Théorie, mesures et applications [Basic human values: Theory, measurement, and applications]. Revue Francaise deSociologie, 42, 249-288.
• Seligman, M. E. P. (2007). Coaching and positive psychology. Australian Psychologist, 42, 266-267. doi:10.1080/00050060701648233
• Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5-14. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.5
• Sheldon, K., Joiner, T., Pettit, J., & Williams, G. (2003). Reconciling humanistic ideals and scientific clinical practice. Clinical Psychology: Science & Practice, 10, 302- 315. doi:10.1093/clipsy.bpg026
• Shoda, Y., Wilson, N. L., Whitsett, D. D., Lee-Dussud, J., & Zayas, V. (2015). The person as a cognitive-affective processing system: Quantitative ideography as an integral component of cumulative science. In M. Mikulincer, P. R. Shaver, M. L. Cooper, & R. J. Larsen (Eds.), APA handbook of personality and social psychology, Volume 4: Personality processes and individual differences (pp. 491- 513). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Stevens, M. J., Constantinescu, P-M., & Butucescu, A. (2011). Aspirations and wellbeing in Romanian and U.S. undergraduates. International Journal of Psychology, 46, 436-445. doi:10.1080/00207594.2011.565344
• Stevens, M. J., Constantinescu, P-M., Ugur, H., & Constantinescu, I. (2015). Causality orientations and psychological well-being in young European and Eurasian adults. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 4, 37-50. doi:10.1037/ipp0000028
• Taylor, S. E., & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 93–210. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.103.2.193
• Tuominen-Soini, H., Salmela-Aro, K., & Niemivirta, M. (2008). Achievement goalorientations and subjective well-being: A person-centered analysis. Learning &Instruction, 18, 251–266. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2007.05.003
• Ugur, H., Tanrikulu, T., & Tosun, U. (2015). Personal awareness and emotional reactions: A study of content analysis. The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies, 34(2), 237-248. doi:10.9761/JASSS2846
• Vansteenkiste, M., Lens, W., & Deci, E. L. (2006). Intrinsic versus extrinsic goal contents in self-determination theory: Another look at the quality of academic motivation. Educational Psychologist, 41, 19-31. doi:10.1207/s15326985ep4101_4
• Vansteenkiste, M., Niemiec, C. P., & Soenens, B. (2010). The development of the five mini-theories of self-determination theory: An historical overview, emerging trends, and future directions. In T. C. Urdan & S. A. Karabenick (Eds.), Advances in motivation and achievement: The decade ahead. Theoretical perspectives on motivation and achievement (Vol. 16A, pp. 105-165). London, UK: Emerald Group Publishing.
• Waterman, A. S. (2008). Reconsidering happiness: A eudaimonist's perspective. Journal of Positive Psychology, 3, 234-252. doi:10.1080/17
• Wentzel, K. R., & Wigfield, A. (2007). Motivational interventions that work: Themes and remaining issues. Educational Psychologist, 42, 261-271. doi:10.1080/00461520701621103
• White, M. A., & Murray, A. S. (Eds.). (2015). Evidence-based approaches in positive education: Implementing a strategic framework for well-being in schools. New York, NY: Springer Science + Business Media. doi:10.1007/978-94-017-9667-5
• Williams, W. M., & Blythe, T. (2002). Practical intelligence for school: Developing metacognitive sources of achievement in adolescence. Developmental Review, 22, 162-210. doi: 10.1006/drev.2002.0544
• Wolbert, L. S., de Ruyter, D. J., & Schinkel, A. (2015). Formal criteria for the concept of human flourishing: The first step in defending flourishing as an ideal aim of education. Ethics and Education, 10, 188-129. doi:10.1080/17449642.2014.998032
• Wolters, C. A. (2003). Regulation of motivation: Evaluating an underemphasized aspect of self-regulated learning. Educational Psychologist, 38, 189-205. doi:10.1207/S15326985EP38041