THIS chapter summarizing the characteristics of adults which are basic to education is based primarily on references that have appeared since 1944. It must necessarily eliminate the major contributions that formed the basis of the knowledge of adult psychology. Since Thorndike's Adult Learning was published, considerable interest has been shown in the psychological and medical adjustment of the last half of the life span. The past few years have seen two new journals devoted to the field of "the aged, the aging and the dying." Geriatrics (3) and the Journal of Gerontology (26) from time to time included articles of psychological significance. The Journal of Gerontology included review articles as well as a fairly complete index to current periodical literature. Under Cowdry's able editorship, the revised edition of Problems of Ageing (14) was published in 1942. Of particular interest to educators are Friedenwald's chapter on the eye, Guild's on the ear, Miles' on psychological aspects of aging, and Hamilton's on personality and psychosexual phenomena. Stieglitz's (68) The Second Forty Years is a very adequate summary of adult characteristics, especially from the medical viewpoint. The recently revised edition of Geriatric Medicine (66) summarized the medical aspects of aging, and also included an excellent chapter on mental changes in normal aging by Miles and Miles (51). This chapter surveyed age in its relation to sensory and motor activity, intelligence, learning, interest, personality, and productivity. Hunt and Cofer (32) integrated the literature on psychological deficit. Altho these authors' orientation was with the personality disorder, there was extensive reference to normal individuals. A very adequate bibliography accompanied the discussion.