The Person or Organization Origin Ating It Points of View or Opinions Stated Do Not Necessarily Repre Sent Official National Institute of Education Position or Policy

This paper elucidates the implications of life-span developmental psychology fOi theory and method in the field of child development. Emphasis is given to three theoretical issues: (1) historical-evolutionary versus ontogenetic components of change, (2) the role of chronological age, and (3) continui4y versus discontinuity in the description and explanation of behavior development. Two methodological issues are discussed: (1) the conceptual and methodological distinction between developmental change versus developmental differences and (2) the problem of examining historical, distal relationships among variables. While none of these is completely novel in developmental psychology, lifespan research and theory has led to propositions and arguments which accentuate, clarify, and articulate important developmental issues. It is concluded that child development researchers need to recognize these issues and that such recognition should lead to a heightened understanding of the unique aspects of a developmental approach to the study of behavior and to novel questions, interpretations, conceptualizations, and methods of study. (Author/JMB) *********************************************************************** Documents acquired by ERIC include many informal unpublished * materials not available from other sources. ERIC makes everl effort * * to obtain the best copy available. Nevertheless, items of marginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. * *********************************************************************** .11 U 5 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO DUCE D EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN ATING IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY Theory tuld Method in Life-span Developmental Psciy2Sslo Imlications for Child Development Aletha H. Stein and Paul B. Baltes The Pennsylvania State University College of Human Development