The economy is becoming more service and information oriented. Yet the profile of the adult learner has remained largely unchanged since they were first studied in 1969. There are more women and minorities. It is difficult to identify the motivations of these learners. There is a need for more scientific work in this area.
Younger learners are more likely to be motivated by career and economic gain.
Older learners seek enrichment and career advancement. The most common barriers adults encounter are cost and time. Among the key theories of learning are humanist theories which suggest that learning is more than cognitive and behavior differences. Studies indicate that learning and memory capacity does not diminish with age. However, adult intelligence is different and adults learn differently.