Article Green Open Access 2010

A Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development

HJ
Heckhausen, Jutta
 WC
Wrosch, Carsten
 SR
Schulz, Richard
Psychological Review
Journal · Vol. 117 · Issue 1 · pp. 32-60
Abstract

This article had four goals. First, the authors identified a set of general challenges and questions that a life-span theory of development should address. Second, they presented a comprehensive account of their Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development. They integrated the model of optimization in primary and secondary control and the action-phase model of developmental regulation with their original life-span theory of control to present a comprehensive theory of development. Third, they reviewed the relevant empirical literature testing key propositions of the Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development. Finally, because the conceptual reach of their theory goes far beyond the current empirical base, they pointed out areas that deserve further and more focused empirical inquiry. © 2010 American Psychological Association.

Keywords

Author Keywords

motivation Life-span development goal engagement and disengagement primary and secondary control

Index Keywords

human Humans Article motivation attitude Goals Human development psychological theory
Author Affiliations
Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Funding & Acknowledgements
National Institute of Nursing Research, NINR
Grant: R01NR009573, R01NR008272
National Institute of Nursing Research, NINR
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIMHD
Grant: P60MD000207
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, NIMHD
National Institute on Aging, NIA
Grant: R01AG026010, R01AG015321
National Institute on Aging, NIA
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NHLBI
Grant: R24HL076858, R24HL076852
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NHLBI
National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH
Grant: P30MH071944
National Institute of Mental Health, NIMH
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