Dynamics of Individual <--> Context Relations in Human Development: A Developmental Systems Perspective

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the development of personality in a manner than transcends the two conceptual problems of the idiographic versus nomothetic dimension and of the meaning of development. In regard to the idiographic versus nomothetic issue, the authors present an approach to personality development that integrates both idiographic and nomothetic dimensions of the person, and thus enables the field of personality study to remain within normal science and, as well, to embrace the importance of a focus on the person and, potentially, of the significance of the lawful and individual actions of the person in promoting his or her own positive or problematic development. The approach the authors propose is a developmental systems perspective which includes developmental contextualism and Magnusson's holistic person ←→ context interaction theory. The power of developmental systems theories is their ability not to be limited by a unidimensional portrayal of the developing person. In developmental systems theories the person is neither biologized, psychologized, nor sociologized. Rather, the individual is systemized, that is, his or her development is embedded within an integrated matrix of variables derived from multiple levels of organization; development is conceptualized as deriving from the dynamic relations between the variables within this multitiered matrix. Development is a matter of individual ←→ context relations, and positive and healthy human development occurs when all components of these relations are benefiting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). (chapter)