A Unified Theory of Development: A Dialectic Integration of Nature and Nurture
Abstract
The understanding of nature and nurture within developmental science has evolved with alternating ascendance of one or the other as primary explanations for individual differences in life course trajectories of success or failure. A dialectical perspective emphasizing the interconnectedness of individual and context is suggested to interpret the evolution of developmental science in similar terms to those necessary to explain the development of individual children. A unified theory of development is proposed to integrate personal change, context, regulation, and representational models of development.
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Environmental changes, especially life events, can trigger self-esteem change.
“researchers have increasingly considered that environmental changes, especially 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 Sameroff, 2010
Cites
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“The inability to separate individuals from context in the life-span models of adulthood provides a motivation to reconceptualize the importance of developmental context for younger individuals as well.”
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Reitz, A. K. (2022) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/spc3.12709 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
“Based on lifespan theory and other transactional perspectives (Baltes et al., 2006; Roberts & Wood, 2006; Sameroff, 2010), researchers have increasingly considered that environmental changes, especially life events, can trigger self-esteem change.”
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- Authors
- Sameroff, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Michigan (US)
- Corresponding author
- Sameroff, Arnold
- Venue
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2010-01-01
- Volume
- 81
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 6-22
- ISSN
- 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-8624
- OpenAlex
- W2030780711
- Cited by
- 1,380
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 64 · 2025: 61 · 2024: 97 · 2023: 92 · 2022: 125 · 2021: 107 · 2020: 208 · 2019: 93 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 73 · 2016: 105 · 2015: 83 · 2014: 60 · 2013: 56 · 2012: 47
- FWCI
- 87.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Psychology of Development and Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- nature versus nurture, dialectical perspective, individual differences, life course trajectories, personal transformation, context, self-regulation
- MeSH terms
- Child, Child Development, Humans, Individuation, Models, Psychological, Personality Development, Psychoanalytic Theory, Psychological Theory, Social Environment, Nonlinear Dynamics, Human Characteristics
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