Adaptation across the Lifespan: Towards a Processual Evolutionary Explanation of Human Development

Abstract

This paper argues that the project of a lifespan perspective in developmental psychology has not yet been systematically pursued. Overall, the number of age-specific papers far outweighs the number of lifespan approaches, and even approaches that focus on the lifespan as a whole are often restricted to adulthood. Further, there is a lack of approaches that examine cross-lifespan relationships. However, the lifespan perspective has brought with it a "processual turn" that suggests an examination of developmental regulatory processes that are either operative across the lifespan or develop across the lifespan. Accommodative adjustment of goals and evaluations in response to obstacles, loss, and threat is discussed as an example of such a process. Not only is it prototypical of efficacy and change of developmental regulation across the lifespan, but at the same time it makes clear that stability (e.g., of the self)—as a possible outcome of accommodation—is not an alternative to, but a variant of development. Explaining how accommodative adaptation changes, in turn, requires a broader perspective. For this purpose, an evolutionary approach to developmental psychology is proposed that not only views human development as a product of phylogenesis, but also applies the central concepts of the theory of evolution (adaptation and history) directly to ontogeny. The challenges, conditions, and limitations of such a theoretical application of adaptation to human development are discussed.

Evolving Perspectives and Methodologies in Developmental Psychology

“…The enrichment of developmental psychology through interdisciplinary approaches is a testament to the field's dynamic nature (Goetz et al, 2022;Greve, 2023;Heiphetz & Oishi, 2021). The fusion of evolutionary theory with cultural psychology and neuroscience has not only expanded our theoretical frameworks but has also unveiled profound insights into age-related cognitive, behavioral changes, and the pervasive impact of culture on development (Menary & Gillett, 2022;Schwartz et al, 2020;Siekiera & Białek, 2020).…”

A Processed Processor: The Processual Nature of the Self

“…For instance, we need to observe and integrate philosophical arguments (as our reference to some recent contributions throughout this paper indicates). With respect to discussions within the field of philosophy of biology, it might be fruitful to look for general processual concepts, in particular the concept of adaptation (e.g., In Rose & Lauder, 1996) that is applicable on subpersonal, personal and superpersonal levels likewise (Greve, 2023). Even if we certainly want to avoid a reductionistic naturalization (see, for instance, Ramstead et al, 2016) with respect, the theoretical potentials of such a concept would nevertheless be helpful here.…”

“…Both are explained by the complicated interlocking of many processes which together produce and secure what we can call identity: being the same (in important respects). The crucial shift in perspective from the (untenable) constancy of content to the (plausible) continuity of stabilizing processes that characterizes developmental psychology in general at the turn of the millennium (Greve, 2023;Greve & Kappes, 2023) might offer a solution for the quest of the self.…”

“…Sociological and psychological approaches could likewise enter into correspondence with the modernization-theoretical discussion of the development of individuality and, via this, also take into account historicalevolutionary aspects of the "becoming of the self." One possible point of convergence, both theoretically and empirically, might be a perspective that advances the "self" as a process of "adaptation through reference" (Grundmann, 2020, p. 81), that is, as an approach in which the concepts of adaptation (Greve, 2023) and the reference spaces of the self (Herma, 2022) intertwine, insofar as aspects of self-concept development and practices of self-reference come into correspondence within the framework of networks of relationships and recognition-that is, always together with others in the world.…”

Integrative Perspectives on Human Development: Dynamic and Semiotic

“…Of course, the examples are very superficially presented; yet what they mean to convey, is that a sociocultural developmental view, supported by an open dynamic approach enables us, via concepts such as rupture, transition and dynamic patterns, to account for variations in adaptivity and sense-making, and for the emergence of newness in people's personal engagements. Greve (2023) proposes a diagnostic of the current fragmentation of developmental psychology, and a cure, to recur to evolutionary psychology. With many others, I tend to concur with the diagnostic; but I believe that the response overlooks alternative attempts to overcome the crises.…”