Final answer:
According to Daniel Levinson's theory, a 55-year-old woman would be in the Later Maturity stage of development, focusing on life reflection and legacy. Levinson's stages, which include reflection on life accomplishments, offer a broader context for understanding development.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the theory of Daniel Levinson and associates, a 55-year-old woman admitted for hernia repair would be placed in the Later Maturity stage of development. Levinson's theory posits that individuals go through a series of stages, each with its own set of challenges and potential growth. This stage, which for women often aligns with entering into the later years of life, involves reflection on one's accomplishments and the consideration of legacy and contribution to society. It parallels Erikson's stage of Integrity versus Despair, where individuals look back at their life and evaluate it for a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.
In contrast to the stages described by Erikson and Levinson, developmental theories like Kohlberg's moral development emphasize the progression through different stages of moral reasoning, from preconventional to postconventional levels. Gilligan critiqued Kohlberg's theory for having a gender bias and offered a perspective that suggested men and women might reason differently when it comes to moral issues, with women potentially focusing more on interpersonal relationships and care.