You may not realize it, but residence life work is supported by a whole body research and theory. It’s likely your supervisor and the professional staff in your department have degrees in this work where they learn many theories of how students grow and develop over their college years. While its not expected that you become experts in what is known as “student development theory,” there are nevertheless some concepts that may be useful to you as you try to understand the experiences of your residents and how to support them. Read on to learn about some theories and concepts that can help!

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a psychological theory proposed by Abraham Maslow, which suggests that human motivations are driven by a hierarchy of needs. The theory posits that individuals must satisfy lower-level needs before they can focus on higher-level needs.

Explore how you can help residents progress through each level of needs, ultimately facilitating their overall development and well-being.

Nevitt Sanford’s concept of Challenge and Support is a developmental theory that suggests optimal growth and development occur when individuals are presented with a balanced combination of challenges and support.

Discover how you can support residents in challenging environments for optimal growth.

Nancy Schlossberg’s theory of transitions focuses on how individuals manage and adapt to life changes. Her model is particularly useful in understanding how people cope with transitions and how support systems can facilitate smoother adjustments.

Check out more about residents experiencing some of the biggest transitions of their lives during college.

Nancy Schlossberg’s concepts of marginality and mattering focus on how individuals experience their sense of belonging and significance within their social and academic environments. These concepts are crucial for understanding how people adapt and thrive in new settings, such as college.

Learn how addressing issues of marginality and promoting a sense of mattering can ensure that residents feel both included and valued.

Perry’s Model of Cognitive Development, developed by William G. Perry Jr., describes how individuals’ thinking evolves during their college years. The model outlines a progression from simplistic, dualistic thinking to more complex and nuanced perspectives.

Review how helping residents transition from simplistic to more sophisticated ways of thinking can ultimately foster a more thoughtful community.

Arthur Chickering’s Seven Vectors of identity development are seven different ways students typically experience growth and development during their college years. When thinking about your residents, these vectors can be useful to help you in understanding all the changes your resident may be going through. The seven vectors include: Developing Competence, Managing Emotions, Moving Through Autonomy Towards Interdependence, Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships, Establishing Identity, Developing Purpose, and Developing Integrity.

Investigate how you can effectively support residents to help them grow academically, personally, and socially during their college years.

Marcia Baxter Magolda’s concept of self-authorship focuses on the development of an individual’s ability to understand and manage their own beliefs, values, and identity. It is a key part of her theory on how people evolve through their educational and personal experiences. Your role as a student staff member is to encourage your residents to develop their own independent beliefs, values, and sense of self such that they able to “author their own lives.”

Identify how self-authorship can help residents navigate their personal development and align with their own values and goals.

Closely related to student development theory is typologies or sometimes known as personality tests. There are many that are backed by scientific methods, but the actual true tests often require payment. Examples include the MBTI (Myers-Briggs)and the DISC Personality Assessment. Some focus on career choice, such as the Holland Code. And others are related to leadership, suck as Kouzes and Posner’s Leadership Challenge. There are other more informal offshoots, too, such as True Colors. You might even consider the for-fun surveys like “What Harry Potter House are you?” as a form of this. Although not the actual tests, you can often find free versions of these online. Take these with a grain of salt, and don’t take their results too seriously, but they can be great to use as conversation starters or team development activities. Do a quick Google search!