Introduction to a dynamic systems approach to psychosocial development in adolescence

Abstract

In 2012, Kunnen published a book entitled A Dynamic Systems Approach to Adolescent Development, which presented new techniques for the study of adolescent developmental processes from a dynamic systems perspective, and claimed that this approach would generate fundamentally new insights and knowledge. Conceptualizing phenomena as a network of interacting components has an important fifth implication for the developmental trajectory of systems. Specifically, in a dynamic systems approach, it is assumed that developmental trajectories of individuals are almost always nonlinear. The feedback loops result in boundary conditions that limit the development in a certain direction, and may also generate regular and irregular patterns of fluctuations, bumps, and periods of fast development or stability. The paradox has been found to be a common feature in findings concerning psychological processes. The realization that the majority of psychological processes are non-ergodic has far-reaching consequences. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.