To what extent is the criticism regarding the underestimation of emotions in transformation theory justified?

MARIA KARAKOU, THANASSIS KARALIS

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a literature review conducted within the framework of a doctoral thesis. The findings highlight J. Mezirow's perspective on the role of emotions in Transformation Theory (TT) and also, the viewpoints of significant scholars in the field of Transformative Learning (TL) who raised objections regarding the emphasis Mezirow places on emotion, engaging in a dialogue with him. The ultimate goal is to critically answer the research question: “To what extent is the criticism that TT has received, regarding the underestimation of the emotional dimension of learning justified?”. The research initially demonstrated that Mezirow attributed significant importance to the role of emotions, linking it to all the fundamental elements of his framework. It also identified areas that require further exploration, such as proposals for specific techniques for eliciting and managing emotions in educational practice. Regarding the selected theorists, the literature review revealed three trends depending on how their approaches to emotion align or differentiate from Mezirow's positions. Based on the above findings, the research highlighted concerns regarding the compatibility of the proposed techniques with the field of Adult Education. Additionally, it raised questions about which of the mentioned theorists truly engage with Mezirow's work, aim to reconsider attention to it, and contribute creatively to its expansion.

Keywords

Emotions, rational, transformation theory

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References

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.26220/mje.4608

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