У статті поданоя аналіз досліджень освіти дорослих та вивчення процесів, що впливають на здатність дорослих навчатись В статье дается анализ исследований взрослого периода жизни и изучения процессов, которые влияют на способность взрослых учиться. Рассмотрены различные подходы к определению понятия «взрослый». Акцентирована неразрывная связь между саморегу­лированным обучением и самооценкой, трансформационным, эмпирическим и ситуацонным обучением. In the article the investigation of adulthood is analyzed; processes which have an impact on the ability of adults to learn are defined. The article deals with the issues of investigation and generalization of adult learning peculiarities in educational theory and practice of the United States. The common understanding of the three subsystems of adult education based on social and personal significance of educational needs and opportunities to meet them is analyzed. Different approaches to the definition of «adult» in terms of psychological maturity, social roles and chronological age are investigated. The attention is focused on close connection between self-directed learning and self-esteem, transformational, situational and experiential learning, which are based on experience of adults. Models of adult education are investigated taking into consideration the basic principles of adult learning developed by a prominent American researcher M. Knowles. Intellectual abilities are identified to be improved up to the beginning of middle age and retained during the period of adult life. The theory of multiple intelligences is related to opening possibilities to find new ways for effective adult learning.