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The MORE Life Experience Model: A Theory of the Development of Personal Wisdom
Abstract
We all experience challenges in our lives, and probably most of us feel we have learned something from the challenges we have encountered. But why do some (few) people learn things that make them wiser over their life course - while others become (or remain) rigid, bitter, depressed, superficially content, or overly selfinvolved? Little theoretical and even less empirical work has directly addressed how wisdom might develop over a lifetime. In this chapter, we present a conceptual model of the development of wisdom, based on previous research and theory concerning wisdom, life-span development, growth from negative experiences, autobiographical memory, and the life story. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013. All rights are reserved.
... Kallio et al. (2023) have analyzed 15 basic-level psychological wisdom models and four metamodels (i.e., the latter referring to integrative second-order models), and created a new "Holistic wisdom metamodel." All metamodels seem to agree on some basic principles of psychological wisdom: there is consensus of cognitive dimension, which includes both deep experiential knowledge based on life-experience (Glück & Bluck, 2013) and socio-cognitive perspective taking ability. It is reflection which integrates together these subdimensions of cognitive functions (Grossmann et al., 2021) and it may focus on oneself, on life, or on others. ...
... Another agreement exists regarding the "product" of wisdom: well-being or eudaimonia are the most common results of wise behavior. There are also agreements on ethical commitment for common good purposes (Grossmann et al., 2021) and certain affective-social competencies such as emotional skills (Glück & Bluck, 2013) and the ability to regulate oneself. One important factor is mental agency in regulating wise actions: wisdom in leadership does not happen by chance but depends on purposeful and intentional decision-making faculties that are intrinsically ethical (see also Sternberg & Glück, 2019). ...
... There is a heightened possibility to grow after traumatic life events. This finding is well-versed in both wisdom research (Glück & Bluck, 2013) and in the field of psychology (Blevins & Tedeschi, 2022). This growth can manifest itself as greater respect for life, closer relationships with others, a stronger sense of personal empowerment, and a deeper sense of purpose. ...
... Psikoloji alanyazınında çalışıldığından bu yana bilgeliğe ilişkin birçok tanım, kuramsal model ve ilişkili ölçüm yöntemi geliştirilmiştir. Ancak kavramın karmaşık doğasından ötürü bazı araştırmacılar bilgeliği kişilik özellikleriyle açıklayan modeller geliştirmiş (Ardelt, 2003(Ardelt, , 2019Levenson ve ark., 2005), bazıları kişinin gelişimsel sürecinde yaşam deneyimleriyle şekillenen bir beceri olarak ele almış (Glück ve ark., 2019;Glück ve Bluck, 2013), bazıları ise bir düşünüş biçimi olarak kavramsallaştırmıştır (Baltes ve Staudinger, 2000;Grossmann, 2017). ...
... Bu nedenle, katılımcılardan başka insanların başına gelen varsayımsal ikilemler üzerine düşünmelerini bekleyen ve bağlamdan kopuk performans ölçümleri ile kendi başlarından geçen somut olayları değerlendirmelerini bekleyen ve belirli bir bağlam içeren bilgece muhakeme ölçümlerinden alınan skorlar arasında düşük ilişki görülür (örn., Cambaz, 2023). Yani, katılımcılara varsayımsal bir olay karşısında ne yapılmalı sorusu değil, yaşadıkları çatışma karşısında ne yaptıkları sorulduğunda gerçeğe daha yakın bir ölçüme yaklaşılabilir (Glück, 2013). ...
Psikoloji literatüründe bilgelik, farklı yaklaşımlara sahip kuramsal modellerle incelenmektedir. Bu modellerden biri, bilgeliği bilişsel değişkenler üzerinden muhakeme becerisi olarak kavramsallaştıran Bilgece Muhakeme Modeli, diğeri ise bilgeliği duygu düzenlemenin de dahil olduğu psikolojik kaynakların öngördüğü bir beceri olarak tanımlayan MORE Yaşam Deneyimi Modelidir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Bağlama Özgü Bilgece Muhakeme Ölçeğinin (BMÖ) MORE Yaşam Deneyimi Modeli maddeleriyle zenginleştirilerek Türkçe’ye uyarlanması ve psikometrik özelliklerinin incelenmesidir. Çalışmaya çoğunluğu üniversite öğrencisi olan, 18-30 yaş aralığında 307 (47 erkek) katılımcı dahil edilmiştir. SWIS’in 21 maddeli ve 5 faktörlü orijinal havuzuna 26 madde ve 3 faktör eklenerek 47 maddeli, 8 faktörlü bir havuz oluşturulmuştur. Orijinal ölçek yapısı ve havuz karşılaştırmalı olarak doğrulayıcı faktör analizi ve geçerlik ve güvenilirlik analizleriyle incelenmiştir. Orijinal ölçeğin geçerlik ve güvenilirlik analizleri 23 maddeli, 6 faktörlü bir yapı ortaya koymuştur. Nihai ölçekte BMÖ’nün 15 maddesi ve tüm faktörleri korunmuştur. Ayrıca, 23 maddelik nihai ölçek, üniversite öğrencilerinden oluşan 183 (28 erkek) kişilik ikinci bir örneklem grubunda test edilmiştir. Bulgular, BMÖ’nün bilgeliği bilişsel yaklaşımla test eden maddeleri ile MORE Yaşam Modeli'nin duygusal becerileri ölçen maddeleri birleştiğinde, orijinal modele kıyasla daha güvenilir ve geçerli olduğunu göstermiştir. Çalışmanın bulguları, Türkiye’de bilgeliğin algılanışına dair tartışmalara kuramsal çerçevede katkı sağlamaktadır.
... Expanding on Sternberg's view, researchers have highlighted wisdom's relational and adaptive aspects. Glück and Bluck (2013) argue that wisdom is not only a trait but also a process that evolves through life experiences, influenced by the individual's sociocultural context. This relational process aligns with recent empirical studies, such as those by Ardelt (2011), which suggest that wisdom involves continuous selfreflection, an openness to diverse perspectives, and a deep understanding of life's uncertainties. ...
... Prior literature predominantly emphasizes Lewis' intention to promote virtuous living through theological and philosophical lenses, often bypassing the more intricate ways cognitive wisdom (e.g., intellectual insight, problem-solving) and affective wisdom (e.g., empathy, emotional intelligence) are interwoven within character development. Such integration is particularly relevant to the study of wisdom, as research by Glück and Bluck (2013) and Sternberg (1998) underscores the necessity of cognitive-affective balance in the cultivation of a holistic, socially resonant wisdom. ...
This qualitative study offers a comprehensive exploration of the complex wisdom embodied by Aslan, the central figure in C.S. Lewis's celebrated work, The Chronicles of Narnia. Grounded in Sternberg’s balance theory of wisdom, this research investigates both the cognitive and affective dimensions of Aslan's wisdom. Employing Creswell's thematic analysis approach, we closely examine Aslan's character to reveal a range of attributes that underpin his wisdom. Findings indicate that Aslan’s cognitive wisdom encompasses a profound understanding, strategic foresight, empathy, moral discernment, and a balanced response to adversity. These elements underscore his deep insight and the capacity to navigate complex moral landscapes. Moreover, his affective wisdom emerges through his compassion, bravery, and moral leadership, as he guides Narnia’s inhabitants. Through his actions, speech, and interactions, Aslan exemplifies an understanding of emotions, human connection, and the transformative impact of love and forgiveness. This study contributes to a deeper appreciation of wisdom as portrayed in literary narratives, illustrating how Aslan’s character models an integrated, multifaceted concept of wisdom.
... This knowledge can then feed into the actors' memory, shape their worldview, and serve as a trigger in a similar situation in the future. Additionally, as actors take opportunities to express courage, they can gain wisdom about the situation through the process, which in turn can influence further experiences (Glück and Bluck, 2013). The experience component and its allied processes thus close the loop of the processes of courage that started with a trigger. ...
Courage is one of the most significant psychological constructs for society, but not one of the most frequently studied. This paper presents a process model of courage consisting of decision-based pathways by which one comes to enact a courageous action. We argue the process of courage begins with a trigger involving an actor(s) and a situation(s). The actor(s) then engage(s) in four key assessments concerning (a) immediacy of the situation, (b) meaningfulness, value, and relevance to the actor, (c) adequacy of efficacy to act, and (d) decision to act with courage. The central component of this process entails an approach-avoidance conflict involving assessments of perceived risks and potential noble outcomes of acting with courage. The decision to act may result in courageous actions assuming it satisfies the four elements: intentionality, objective and substantial risk, a noble purpose, and meaning in time and place. Courageous actions have consequences. Finally, the consequences shape the actors’ experience, which feeds into the trigger, closing the loop. Potential moderators of the courage process as well as potential tests of the model have been discussed.
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have produced systems capable of increasingly sophisticated performance on cognitive tasks. However, AI systems still struggle in critical ways: unpredictable and novel environments (robustness), lack of transparency in their reasoning (explainability), challenges in communication and commitment (cooperation), and risks due to potential harmful actions (safety). We argue that these shortcomings stem from one overarching failure: AI systems lack wisdom. Drawing from cognitive and social sciences, we define wisdom as the ability to navigate intractable problems - those that are ambiguous, radically uncertain, novel, chaotic, or computationally explosive - through effective task-level and metacognitive strategies. While AI research has focused on task-level strategies, metacognition - the ability to reflect on and regulate one's thought processes - is underdeveloped in AI systems. In humans, metacognitive strategies such as recognizing the limits of one's knowledge, considering diverse perspectives, and adapting to context are essential for wise decision-making. We propose that integrating metacognitive capabilities into AI systems is crucial for enhancing their robustness, explainability, cooperation, and safety. By focusing on developing wise AI, we suggest an alternative to aligning AI with specific human values - a task fraught with conceptual and practical difficulties. Instead, wise AI systems can thoughtfully navigate complex situations, account for diverse human values, and avoid harmful actions. We discuss potential approaches to building wise AI, including benchmarking metacognitive abilities and training AI systems to employ wise reasoning. Prioritizing metacognition in AI research will lead to systems that act not only intelligently but also wisely in complex, real-world situations.
Integrative negotiation is often considered an ideal way to achieve a joint outcome. Although this ideal nature may lead to successful joint negotiation, wisdom, which is considered to maintain a balance of interest for the common good, may not be part of it. This study investigates the relationship between wisdom, emotional regulation, and integrative negotiation to determine whether wisdom is inherently present in integrative negotiation strategies. Using a sample of 49 participants, we examined how different wisdom variables correlate with negotiation tactics. The results showed significant relationships between integrative negotiation and certain wisdom traits but no significant correlation with wise reasoning. Mediation analysis revealed that emotional variables, including empathetic concern and managing emotions, did not significantly mediate the relationship between wisdom and integrative negotiation. Thus, it cannot be said that wisdom is always inherent in integrative negotiation, and thus, it is necessary to look for a new concept of 'wise negotiation', which could explain a long-term and sustainable negotiation outcome.
Although women's participation in the workforce has steadily grown in recent decades and their representation in senior leadership positions has risen, much of the research continues to focus on explaining the barriers that prevents their upward advancement. In contrast, understanding what has enabled women to reach the top, has received much less attention. Due to this gap, the aim of this study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of women who have become senior leaders. An Heideggerian interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted. Purposive sampling was used to select eleven women from across the British Isles who were employed in positions at director level or above in the Finance, Education, Health, Law, Sports and Culture sectors. Braun and Clarke's six phase approach to reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse data from semi-structured interviews conducted during 2018-2019. The study found that three personal attributes were instrumental to the women's career advancement into senior leadership, which formed the basis to propose a novel framework. Resilience provided them with the ability to combat challenges, overcome hurdles and bounce back from adversity. Ambition gave the women a sense of purpose, the desire for success, a determination to seek out new opportunities and the courage to push themselves beyond their comfort zone. Wisdom armed them with an intuitive, authentic and superior understanding of themselves and a moral, social and emotional maturity. This study contributes to knowledge and practice by presenting the Resilience, Ambition and Wisdom (RAW) Framework for women's leadership success and identifying the value of early professional coaching for career advancement. It also emphasises the importance of resilience and ambition combined, for career mobility and highlights the value of wisdom for women's leadership practice. Recommendations from this study are that the RAW framework is used at an individual and an organisational level to guide the development of resilience, ambition and wisdom. Women should engage in early career coaching to help them gain focus, alleviate failure anxieties and develop effective leadership strategies. Organisations should proactively promote coaching as part of their roles in helping these individuals access positions of responsibility early in their careers. Further research examining the emerging RAW framework including the development of a self-assessment scale and the relationship between personality type temperament and women's career advancement, is also recommended. 3
Research on the psychological outcomes of reminiscence techniques has led to equivocal findings. The goal of this paper is to advance current theory guiding research on reminiscence by examining the implications of viewing reminiscence as a type of autobiographical memory. Butler's classic paper on reminiscence as 'life review' (1963) is examined, and revisions to this approach are proposed based on research and theory concerning autobiographical memory. Specifically, the process of reminiscence is delineated through a discussion of the partially reconstructive nature of autobiographical memory and the relation of memory to the self. These developments are then used to predict the types of psychological outcomes that can be expected to result from reminiscence, and the types of reminiscence techniques that can be expected to lead to the distinct outcomes of self-acceptance and self-change. Linking the literatures on reminiscence techniques and autobiographical memory also provides a catalyst for future theoretical and empirical work.
Contemporary theories have generally focused on either the behavioral, cognitive or emotional dimensions of prosocial moral development. In this volume, these three dimensions are brought together while providing the first comprehensive account of prosocial moral development in children. The main concept is empathy - one feels what is appropriate for another person's situation, not one's own. Hoffman discusses empathy's role in five moral situations. The book's focus is empathy's contribution to altruism and compassion for others in physical, psychological, or economic distress. Also highlighted are the psychological processes involved in empathy's interaction with certain parental behaviors that foster moral internalization in children and the psychological processes involved in empathy's relation to abstract moral principles such as caring and distributive justice. This important book is the culmination of three decades of study and research by a leading figure in the area of child and developmental psychology.
Defining WisdomThe Berlin Wisdom ParadigmThe Development, Structure, and Functions of Wisdom: A Theoretical ModelEmotional-motivational Dynamics of Wisdom: General Theoretical ConsiderationsEmotional-Motivational Elements of Wisdom: Relevant Lines of Empirical ResearchImplications for Education and TrainingConclusion
