Contemporary Developmental Psychology Research Articles

Not all engaged students are alike: patterns of engagement and burnout among elementary students using a person-centered approach

Due to its potential to address low achievement, high dropout rates, and misbehavior among students, school engagement has become an important topic in contemporary developmental psychology and educational research. Although there is a wealth of literature on the causes and effects of student engagement, the current understanding of how student engagement varies in response to different teaching styles is limited. This study examined the engagement and burnout profiles of elementary school pupils (N = 798; 51% females; Mage = 11.54, SDage = 0.72) and the interactions between those profiles, students’ characteristics and their perceptions of instructional behaviors (e.g., supporting criticism, suppressing criticism & independent viewpoints, intruding). Latent profile analysis revealed five types of profiles: moderately burned out, slightly burned out, moderately engaged, highly engaged, and highly burned out. Follow-up logistic regression analysis found that students clustered into engagement groups were likely to report higher autonomy support from teachers, especially when teachers permit criticism and independent thinking from students. In contrast, students clustered into burned out profiles were more likely to rate teacher strategies as autonomy suppressive. This became more obvious when instructors imposed meaningless and uninteresting activities. Taken together, this study indicated that autonomy-supportive teaching behaviors are pivotal in understanding student engagement and school burnout. The significance of the findings was addressed, along with implications and limitations.

An Attempt of Explanatory Classification of Human Developmental Stages

In recent decades, interest in stages of human development sufficiently decreased. The existing stage theories were hardly criticised for methodological issues, insufficient empirical validity, but rare attempts have been made to solve these issues. As a result, contemporary developmental psychology is constructed on the basis of worldly division of ages (infancy, childhood, adolescence, etc.), but not a scientific classification. We offer an explanatory life-span developmental theory based on the functional approach. According to this theory, the function of each developmental stage is to achieve a specific goal by solving a certain developmental problem through a special developmental program. There are four developmental problems and, accordingly, four stages identified. The first problem/stage is the formation of the subject of species activity (0–7 years); the second stage is aimed at developing the subject of sexual activity (8–20, 22 years). During the third stage, a subject of family and work activity forms (20, 22–40, 45 years), and the meaning of the last stage is self-exhaustion (from age 40, 45 until the end of life).

The contributions of Alfred Adler (1870–1937) to the understanding of early childhood development

ABSTRACT This paper presents a biographical profile of Alfred Adler aiming to provide a measured overview of the impact of Alfred Adler's work on the theoretical paradigms and research avenues of contemporary developmental psychology. The key concepts of his theory are exposed: Feeling of Inferiority, Strive to Overcome, Style of Life, Superiority Complex and Social Interest. This article outlines his contributions to humanistic psychology and neo-psychoanalysis, his influence on the work of Lev Vigotsky, his key role in establishing the ecological systems models used today in developmental psychology and his educational and public health-oriented approach, which focused on how social context influences childhood development. It also describes the avenues of research he identified in developmental psychology, including the impact of sibling relations on childhood development, the importance of self-esteem and altruistic behaviour. Finally, the paper proposes the use of a holistic model to advance the study of human psychological development.

Vygotsky’s “Height Psychology”: Reenvisioning General Psychology in Dialogue With the Humanities and the Arts

The legacy of Russian psychologist Lev Semenovich Vygotsky is most closely associated with the cultural-historical paradigm and, in the West, has found its most extensive application in contemporary developmental and educational psychology. However, Vygotsky’s project was far more ambitious than this perspective implies—in fact, he conceived a new, original program of general psychology that could address human beings in their full measure, foregrounding the human potential for freedom and agency. The distinctive characteristic of Vygotsky’s approach was his profound interdisciplinarity and, specifically, his evolving dialogue with art practices and aesthetics, the scope of which has only become clear with the recent publication of previously unpublished archival material and his writings as an art and literary critic. This article has two aims: to outline a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of Vygotsky’s views on general psychology, on the basis of recent archival discoveries and publications, and attending to these materials closely, to explicate the role that Vygotsky allocated to art in his radical project of creating the “height psychology.”

Prilog koncipiranju nove teorije životnog vijeka

Modern developmental psychology has been characterised with a wealth of empirical facts and a relatively small number of theories, which are mostly oriented to the confined time of development and confined domains of functioning. Because of some important changes in contemporary developmental psychology, according to which it is no more just a theory of child development but the life-span developmental psychology, it is very important to integrate information about different developmental aspects. It should bring into accord analysis with respect to life periods and different behaviors. In a new developmental theory attention should be directed to the personal contribution to one's own development and the self-regulation of the development. The theory of personal development which is proposed by Heckhausen and Schultz (1995)includes primary and secondary control of development. On the basis of some empirical indications it should be proposed that the new theory has to include tertiary control as well. The tertiray control of development is neglected probably because it includes some more mature personality defense mechanisms. Developmental self-regulation could be reached through connection of outer demands (biological and social) with the efforts of each person in accordance to primary, secondary and tertiary control.

Contemporary views on personal identity formation

Identity development is undoubtedly one of the most crucial tasks in human life. Identity is also one of the most frequently examined issues in contemporary developmental psychology research. In the literature, we can find various definitions of identity, as well as various theoretical conceptualizations and models. The present paper describes contemporary models of personal identity, provides the definitions of the notions (as processes/dimensions/styles/modes) included in these models, measurement methods, as well as a review of the research results obtained in these various theoretical paradigms. The review includes multiple approaches – from Marcia’s classical identity status paradigm, through neo-Eriksonian models (such as the three and five dimensional models, identity styles, identity processes in adulthood) up to narrative views. Finally, we present conclusions based on the analyses of these models and implications for future research and theory.

Developmental psychology without positivistic pretentions: An introduction to the special issue on historical developmental psychology

Emphasizing the importance of understanding children and child development as ‘cultural inventions’, William Kessen urged developmental psychologists to forego ‘positivistic dreaming’. The first section of this paper summarizes Kessen’s central ideas. In the second section the pretensions of positivism (classical nineteenth century positivism as well as twentieth century neo-positivism) are analyzed. The core critique of positivism is based on Poppers falsificationism and the so-called Positivismusstreit within the Frankfurter Schule. Despite those and related fundamental critiques, anti-positivism (such as Kessen’s) does not imply anti-empiricism. One corollary – Although contemporary developmental psychology is dominated by empirical-quantitative approaches, a wider range of philosophical and methodological approaches are called for if the failings of lingering positivism are to avoided. In particular, twenty-first century developmental psychology requires critical thinking about the discipline’s foundations and history, along with deep analyses of how childhood and child development, and the field itself, are historically and culturally embedded (as Kessen asserted). Section 4 concludes with several critical notes regarding, e.g., the predominantly Western orientation of historical studies of child development and the need to recognize the unavoidable normative, moral dimension in the study of human development. The final section provides a brief overview of the papers that comprise this special issue on historical developmental psychology.

Kategoria rozwoju w psychologii life-span i jej metodologiczne implikacje

The subject of this paper is the concept of development in life span psychology. The claim was put forward that the picture of human development presented by contemporary developmental psychology is unsatisfactory, and that the reason for this is the incompatibility of the methodological paradigm of natural sciences adopted by psychology with the specificity of the object of study of developmental psychology. An analysis of the nature of development within Bernard Kaplan’s genetic-dramatism perspective and John R. Searle’s theory of mind and social reality was presented. Also, its methodological implications were delineated, drawing attention to the attempt of both perspectives to coordinate the logic of cause and effect with the one of intention, purposes and aims in studying human development

EDUKACJA PERMANENTNA – POTRZEBA I FORMY

Artykuł dotyczy aktualnej i ważnej dla edukacji społeczeństwa sprawy kształcenia ustawicznego, które należy dziś do istotnych zadań wyższych uczelni. Autor artykułu uzasadnia konieczność kształcenia ustawicznego paroma argumentami, takimi jak: akcentowana przez współczesną psychologię rozwojową potrzeba ciągłego rozwoju osoby ludzkiej, przemiany cywilizacyjne zachodzące we współczesnym świecie, konieczność zdobywania nowych kwalifikacji i kompetencji, oraz służba społeczeństwu. W końcowej części artykułu autor wskazuje na tę szczególną formę kształcenia ustawicznego, jaką są uniwersytety trzeciego wieku.

Feminist theory and contemporary developmental psychology: The case of children’s executive function

Burman’s landmark book, Deconstructing Developmental Psychology, criticized the field from three perspectives: decontextualized measurements and depictions of children’s behavior; androcentric biases; and covert political frameworks. In this article, Burman’s analysis is applied to the current state of cognitive developmental research in general, and then specifically with a focus on a hot topic, children’s executive function (cognitive self-control). Suggestions are made for how adopting Burman’s framework to deconstruct executive function research and theorizing can be used to construct an enriched, more complete, account of the development of executive function.

Hospitality and Hope

Major currents within contemporary continental thought have been significantly influenced by the psychoanalytic tradition, particularly via Jacques Lacan. Thus a pervasive stream of thought conceives of the relationship between self and other as one characterized primarily by conflict, threat, or lack. This reading has often been taken as paradigmatic and broadened to include relations between societies. If not challenged, this paradigm undermines any cause for hope that society might be structured in terms other than us/them, insider/outsider. Jacques Derrida’s work opens up a way to think differently, training our attention on the essential affirmation of the other that underlies all human experience. The central thesis of this paper is that the developmental theory of Jean Piaget, read against the grain of how his work has often been appropriated, lends robust support to this more hopeful reading, highlighting a self constituted in and by orientation to the other. Currents within contemporary developmental psychology provide substantial support for this more hopeful and hospitable image of self and other.

Why fairy tales are still relevant to today's children

Are fairy tales outdated to a modernised 21st century society? In 1976, clinical psychologist Professor Bruno Bettelheim wrote a book examining the power and utility of fairy tales in childhood development. Forty years later, his work maintains its importance. Through a Freudian lens, Bettelheim examines the emotional and symbolic facets of traditional children’s fairy tales alongside contemporary developmental child psychology. Bettelheim believes that when children find meaning within these socially evolved stories, they engage in emotional growth and transcend their self-centred natures. This would allow them to attain a greater sense of meaning and purpose to their own lives, which would prepare them better for their own futures to be in a position to contribute significantly to others. Through the fairy tale narrative, the child makes sense of life’s bewilderment. The imagery in fairy tales (such as personified animals, adults represented as giants and allegorical magic vegetables) allows the child to explore their fears in remote and symbolic terms (Fig. 1). The child is able to sort through their inner pressures and moral obligations in an environment that is not belittling to them. Should parents still recount these tales of make believe to the children of today or are they passe? Unlike myths, which tend to be detailed historical tragedies inaccessible to a child’s mind, fairy tales are a screenplay of adversity, quest, struggle and acceptance – with a happy ending. They tend to be universally translatable and are edited and embellished with every generation. The emphasis is on choice of action rather than the title of the characters themselves. Hansel and Gretel were so named because these were the prevailing children’s names at the time. Fables demand the reader to choose a moral outcome. Fairy tales allow the reader to explore each virtue and path of action through the different characters’ fates. The child decides their own personal stance after deliberating each consequence. Through the telling, the child is exposed to ethical reasoning without being preached at. The little pig who worked hard building his house out of bricks was safe, while the pigs that used the easier straw and sticks and went off to play got gobbled up. Without being explicitly told so, the child learns that hard work pays off and that sometimes delayed gratification is necessary. Fairy tales provide answers to what the world is really like and the child’s place within it. Numbers play an important part in the world and fairy tales are no exception. Here, the magical number is three: three bears, three little pigs, three wishes, etc. Apart from religious connotations to the Holy Trinity, the child sees their place in the mother, father and child triad. As in the fairy tale, the child usually chooses the third path from the other two characters: their own. Many fairy tales follow a set pattern similar to ‘rite of passage’ stories. A poor vulnerable child loses a parent, and then must set off on an arduous journey testing their courage and outwitting their foes, before realising their true place in the world, usually by bonding with another (‘Prince Charming’). This simplistically echoes the process of adolescence, whereby a child emancipates from their parents, forms a self-identity and vocation, and begins to enter into mutually exclusive adult relationships. Cinderella typifies this with the glass slipper fitting only the right person. The child realises that their potential spouse must suit them wholly and not just be wealthy, attractive or popular. Goldilocks tries out the porridge and the beds to find the right one. Teenagers traverse many phases of fashion, music, friends and hairstyles before finding their ‘home’. Correspondence: Dr Anthony Zehetner, Department of Adolescent Medicine, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Corner Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Fax: +61 298452517; email: anthony.zehetner@health.nsw.gov.au

Essentialism, Externalism, and Human Nature

Psychological essentialism is a prominent view within contemporary developmental psychology and cognitive science according to which children have an innate commitment to essentialism. If this view is correct then a commitment to essentialism is an important aspect of human nature rather than a culturally specific commitment peculiar to those who have received a specific philosophical or scientific education. In this article my concern is to explore the philosophical significance of psychological essentialism with respect to the relationship between the content of our concepts and thoughts and the nature of the extra-cranial world. I will argue that, despite first appearances, psychological essentialism undermines a form of externalism that has become commonplace in the philosophy of mind and language.

New branches on the Tree of Knowledge. Challenges for systemic family therapists

Faced with today's challenges, I question whether the framework for family therapy provided by systemic thinking is sufficient when working with children and teenagers. The aim of this paper is not to argue for an eclectic model for therapy, but rather to encourage a critical dialogue between various bodies of knowledge. The paper raises the discussion of how family therapists relate to knowledge external to the therapy field. Contemporary developmental psychology, neurobiology, behavioural genetics and group socialization theory are highlighted as useful bodies of knowledge for family therapists. Examples from clinical practice are used to illustrate this.

Notes on unintegration and disintegration from historical and developmental perspectives

This paper contextualises Bick's contribution historically, particularly in relation to Winnicott's work which challenged the Kleinian tradition to provide a developmental account of psychotic phenomena that would give a role to environmental factors. A difference in emphasis between Bick's early and later account of the functions of the skin in object relations is identified, which to some has suggested a greater distancing from a Kleinian position. A review of contemporary developmental psychology evidence argues for sophisticated coordinations in many perceptual, motor and communication systems in human neonates that apparently disappear within the course of the first few months, to be gradually re-coordinated later in development. The attempt to explain these phenomena has demonstrated that it is necessary to incorporate both integrative and differentiation processes into developmental accounts. While many of Bick's observations and conceptualisations have found confirmation in empirical research, it is argued that the significance of the integrations demonstrated for human neonates is greatly illuminated by Meltzer's (1988) account of the aesthetic conflict. One of Bick's major contributions remains her identification of a range of existential and catastrophic anxieties as universal aspects of human psychic experience, even if these are not always recognised in consciousness.

A Case against the Categorisation of Children and Youth Part 1: Theoretical perspectives.


 
 
 
 This is the first of two articles that provide a critique of categorisation and of the biomedical interpretation of personal adjustment issues experienced by children and youth. In this paper the appraisal is made by the devising of an imaginary mental illness, through the presentation of some important theoretical frameworks, by considering contributions from contemporary developmental psychology, and through a brief linguistic, historical and policy analysis. These viewpoints are severely critical, both individually and collectively, of categorisation and the medical model. The critique is further strengthened by a professional practice perspective that will be published in Kairaranga in September.
 
 
 

A Case against the Categorisation of Children and Youth.

This is the first of two articles that provide a critique of categorisation and of the biomedical interpretation of personal adjustment issues experienced by children and youth. In this paper the appraisal is made by the devising of an imaginary mental illness, through the presentationof some important theoretical frameworks, by considering contributions from contemporary developmental psychology, and through a brief linguistic, historical and policy analysis. These viewpoints are severely critical, both individually and collectively, of categorisation and the medical model. The critique is further strengthened by a professional practice perspective that will be published in Kairaranga in September.

Contemporary Perspectives from Human Development: Implications for Feminist Scholarship

Previous articleNext article No AccessContemporary Perspectives from Human Development: Implications for Feminist ScholarshipPatricia H. MillerPatricia H. MillerInstitute for Women’s StudiesUniversity of Georgia Search for more articles by this author Institute for Women’s StudiesUniversity of GeorgiaPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Signs Volume 31, Number 2Winter 2006 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/491680 Views: 143Total views on this site Citations: 9Citations are reported from Crossref © 2006 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Adrienne L. Edwards (Re)Conceptualizing Black motherwork as political activism, Journal of Family Theory & Review 18 (Jul 2022).https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12469Jennifer C. Olmsted Care labor, intergenerational equity, and (social) sustainability, Review of Social Economy 24 (Aug 2021): 1–25.https://doi.org/10.1080/00346764.2021.1964586Marie Ståhl Troubling Norms and Values in Science Teaching Through Students’ Subject Positions Using Feminist Figurations, (Oct 2017): 153–177.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61191-4_13Marie St?hl, Anita Huss?nius Chemistry inside an epistemological community box! Discursive exclusions and inclusions in Swedish National tests in Chemistry, Cultural Studies of Science Education 12, no.22 (Apr 2016): 395–423.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-016-9730-zAdrienne L. Edwards, April L. Few-Demo African American Maternal Power and the Racial Socialization of Preschool Children, Sex Roles 75, no.1-21-2 (May 2016): 56–70.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-016-0633-yPatricia H Miller, Ellin K Scholnick Feminist theory and contemporary developmental psychology: The case of children’s executive function, Feminism & Psychology 25, no.33 (Aug 2015): 266–283.https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353514552023Clara Fischer Introduction, (Jan 2014): 1–11.https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137342720_1Ana M. Martínez Alemán College Women's Female Friendships: A Longitudinal View, The Journal of Higher Education 81, no.55 (Oct 2016): 553–582.https://doi.org/10.1080/00221546.2010.11779067Karin A. Martin Normalizing Heterosexuality: Mothers' Assumptions, Talk, and Strategies with Young Children, American Sociological Review 74, no.22 (Apr 2009): 190–207.https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240907400202

Wilhelm Dilthey (1833-1911) and Eduard Spranger (1882-1963) on the developing person.

Abstract At the end of the 19th century most psychologists conceptualized psychology as a natural science. However, a few philosopher‐psychologists, including Wilhelm Dilthey, envisioned psychology as a Geisteswissenschaft with understanding as its core method. It is less known that Dilthey also promoted ideas for developmental psychology. This paper addresses the views of Wilhelm Dilthey and his student Eduard Spranger on the human mind and developmental psychology. While Dilthey provided general guidelines for studying mental life, Spranger promoted a holistic characterization of adolescence gained through the method of understanding. It is suggested that a geisteswissenschaftliche psychology may offer relevant, yet, neglected insights for contemporary developmental psychology.

A Conceptual Framework for Counseling Psychologists in Schools

This article explores how contemporary developmental psychology, specifically developmental-contextualism, provides a conceptual framework for practice and research by counseling psychologists who work with schools. Developmental-contextualism articulates how human development (a) is affected by context, (b) involves bio-psycho-social levels, (c) occurs during the life span, and (d) includes strengths and deficits. The authors delineate how these four developmental principles, in conjunction with the traditional strengths of counseling psychology, can guide the application of effective interventions with school-aged children and their families.