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Theoretical propositions of life-span developmental psychology: On the dynamics between growth and decline.
Abstract
Life-span developmental psychology involves the study of constancy and change in behavior throughout the life course. One aspect of life-span research has been the advancement of a more general, metatheoretical view on the nature of development. The family of theoretical perspectives associated with this metatheoretical view of life-span developmental psychology includes the recog-nition of multidirectionality in ontogenetic change, consideration of both age-connected and discon-nected developmental factors, a focus on the dynamic and continuous interplay between growth (gain) and decline (loss), emphasis on historical embeddedness and other structural contextual fac-tors, and the study of the range of plasticity in development. Application of the family of perspectives associated with life-span developmental psychology is illustrated for the domain of intellectual devel-opment. Two recently emerging perspectives of the family of beliefs are given particular attention. The first proposition is methodological and suggests that plasticity can best be studied with a research strategy called testing-the-limits. The second proposition is theoretical and proffers that any develop-mental change includes the joint occurrence of gain (growth) and loss (decline) in adaptive capacity. To assess the pattern of positive (gains) and negative (losses) consequences resulting from develop-ment, it is necessary to know the criterion demands posed by the individual and the environment
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“This perspective recognizes that there are both gains and losses in cognitive function across adulthood but that, with advancing age, gains become less common and losses predominate.”
From Enrichment Effects on Adult Cognitive Development: Can the Functional Capacity of Older Adults Be Preserved and Enhanced? (2008) · cites this paper as Baltes, 1987
In the citing paper
“In line with lifespan and personality developmental theories, research has generally suggested that life events can trigger self-esteem change.”
From Self‐esteem development and life events: A review and integrative process framework (2022) · cites this paper as Baltes, 1987
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“We observed the previously-reported pattern of earlier peaks for fluid intelligence than crystalized intelligence (Baltes, 1987; Cattell, 1971).”
From When does cognitive functioning peak? The asynchronous rise and fall of different cognitive abilities across the life span (2015) · cites this paper as Baltes, 1987
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Metadata
- Authors
- Baltes, P. B.
- Corresponding author
- Baltes, Paul B.
- Venue
- Developmental Psychology
- Published
- 1987-09
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 611-626
- ISSN
- 0012-1649 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-0599
- OpenAlex
- W2167315939
- Cited by
- 2,781
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2026: 81 · 2025: 125 · 2024: 84 · 2023: 105 · 2022: 120 · 2021: 159 · 2020: 114 · 2019: 133 · 2018: 103 · 2017: 121 · 2016: 99 · 2015: 134 · 2014: 111 · 2013: 102 · 2012: 93
- FWCI
- 25.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Psychology of Development and Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Ego Development and Educational Practices
- Keywords
- life-span developmental psychology, gain and loss, developmental plasticity, intellectual development, adaptive capacity
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