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Journal ArticleDOI

The Life Course: A Sociological Perspective.

01 Sep 1986-Contemporary Sociology (Prentice-Hall)-Vol. 15, Iss: 3, pp 436
TL;DR: In this paper, an exceptionally well-known social psychologist offers the most definitive work to date on life-cycle sociology, which is appropriate as a text or supplement for courses on socialization, social psychology, and aging.
Abstract: An exceptionally well-known social psychologist offers the most definitive work to date on life-cycle sociology. Appropriate as a text or supplement for courses on socialization, social psychology, and aging. Foundations of Modern Sociology series.
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a family of theoretical perspectives associated with this metatheoretical view of life-span developmental psychology includes the recognition of multidirectionality in ontogenetic change, consideration of both age-connected and disconnected developmental factors, a focus on the dynamic and continuous interplay between growth (gain) and decline (loss), emphasis on historical embeddedness and other structural contextual factors, and the study of the range of plasticity in development.
Abstract: Life-span developmental psychology involves the study of constancy and change in behavior throughout the life course. One aspect of life-span research has been the advancement of a more general, metatheoretical view on the nature of development. The family of theoretical perspectives associated with this metatheoretical view of life-span developmental psychology includes the recognition of multidirectionality in ontogenetic change, consideration of both age-connected and disconnected developmental factors, a focus on the dynamic and continuous interplay between growth (gain) and decline (loss), emphasis on historical embeddedness and other structural contextual factors, and the study of the range of plasticity in development. Application of the family of perspectives associated with life-span developmental psychology is illustrated for the domain of intellectual development. Two recently emerging perspectives of the family of beliefs are given particular attention. The first proposition is methodological and suggests that plasticity can best be studied with a research strategy called testing-the-limits. The second proposition is theoretical and proffers that any developmental change includes the joint occurrence of gain (growth) and loss (decline) in adaptive capacity. To assess the pattern of positive (gains) and negative (losses) consequences resulting from development, it is necessary to know the criterion demands posed by the individual and the environment during the lifelong process of adaptation. The study of life-span development is not a homogeneous field. It comes in two major interrelated modes. The first mode is the extension of developmental studies across the life course without a major effort at the construction of metatheory that emanates from life-span work. The second mode includes the endeavor to explore whether life-span research has specific implications for the general nature of developmental theory. The second approach represents the topic of this article. Specifically, the purpose of this article is twofold. First, after a brief introduction to the field of life-span developmental psychology, some "prototypical" features of the life-span approach in developmental psychology are presented. Second, these features are illustrated by work in one domain: intellectual development. Although the focus of this paper is on life-span developmental psychology and its theoretical thrust, it is important to recognize at the outset that similar perspectives on developmental theory have been advanced in other quarters of developmental scholarship as well (Hetherington & Baltes, in press; Scan; 1986). There is, however, a major difference in the "gestalt" in which the features of the theoretical perspective of life-span psychology are organized.

2,216 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jun 1996-Appetite
TL;DR: The conceptual food choice process model represents the rich and complex bases of food practices, and provides a theoretical framework for research and practice in nutrition.

1,118 citations


Cites background from "The Life Course: A Sociological Per..."

  • ...Over the life course a variety of experiences, including those associated with the aging process, contribute to a person’s choice preferences and patterns (Elder, 1987, 1991; Hagestad & Neugarten, 1985; Clausen, 1986)....

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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The Social Organization Strategy (SOS) framework as discussed by the authors is a complementary approach to social action in general and decision making in particular, which shifts the from individual "choice" to socially constructed patterns of decisions, including consultation with others.
Abstract: A classic problem common to sociology and other social sciences revolves around how people make decisions. Some recent approaches start with and revise an individually focused, rational action framework. While this orientation to building transdisciplinary, multilevel models provides many insights, it fails to capture essential features of social life. The social organization strategy (SOS) framework presented in this article offers a complementary approach to social action in general and decision making in particular. This orientation, a network and event-centered counterpart to rational choice, rests on fundamental principles that distinguish the discipline of sociology: social interaction is the basis of social life, and social networks provide the mechanism (interaction) through which individuals learn about, come to understand, and attempt to handle difficulties. This approach shifts the from individual "choice" to socially constructed patterns of decisions, including consultation with others. Utiliz...

879 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Sep 2006-Appetite
TL;DR: An overview of time issues related to food choices is presented and applications of time research for nutrition and health researchers, policy makers, and practitioners interested in food choice are discussed.

600 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 2009
TL;DR: The metaphor of growth and decline, gain and loss have often been employed to characterize change in structure or function of organisms over time as mentioned in this paper, and these metaphors have been used to describe and explain change over time.
Abstract: One of the enduring puzzles in the life sciences is the description and explanation of change over time. Such change is frequently called “development,” and the metaphors of growth and decline, gain and loss have often been employed to characterize change in structure or function of organisms over time. Cells, individuals, groups, and even social systems exhibit change over time. While most change is orderly, regular, and normative, some change is chaotic, irregular, and unpredicted. Growth or decline at the individual level often has antecedents or consequences at the collective group level.

489 citations