The Adaptive Self

Pof. Dr. Dirk Wentura, Dipl.-Psych., lehrt Allgemeine Psychologie und Methodenlehre an der Universität des Saarlandes.
Prof. Dr. Werner Greve lehrt Psychologie an der Universität Hildesheim. Er ist außerdem Autor von wissenschaftlichen Büchern in den Gebieten Entwicklungs- und Kriminalpsychologie.

The concept of the "adaptive self" discussed in this book is a unifying framework for considering the nature of identity and the development of the self throughout the life-span. As the theoretical and empirical studies here show, this concept of self and identity is unique in including both intentional, regulated self-development and flexible responses to an unalterable environment within a single framework of self and identity.

Introduction. The Adaptive Self: Personal Continuity and Intentional Self-Development by Greve, Rothermund, Wentura. PART 1. ADAPTATION AND PLASTICITY: PERSPECTIVES ON SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF. Lifespan Perspectives on Self and Personality: The Dynamics Between the Mechanics and Pragmatics by Schindler, Staudinger. Youth as Active Agents in Their Own Positive Development: A Developmental Systems Perspective by Lerner, Theokas, Jelicic. Maintaining Personality: The Active and Adaptive Self as Core of Individuality and Personhood by Greve. The Odds of Prediction Success by von Eye. PART 2. ACTION PERSPECTIVES ON DEVELOPMENT: CONTROL OF DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL. Psychology of Control and Personality: Julian B. Rotter and Beyond by Krampen. Engagement and Disengagement Across the Life Span: An Analysis of Two-Process Models of Developmental Regulation by Poulin, Haase, Heckhausen. The Role of Self-Efficacy in Health Self-Regulation by Luszczynska, Schwarzer. PART 3. SELF-REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT: ADAPTIVE PROCESSES. The Developing Self in Adolescence: Producing and Reducing Discrepancies between Developmental Goals and Present States by Pinquart, Silbereisen, Wiesner. Reactive and Proactive Motivational Changes Across Adulthood by Fung, Rice, Carstensen. The Aging Self: Promoting Gains and Balancing Losses: Goal Orientation in Old Age by Freund, Ebner. The Unknown Self: The Social Cognition Perspective by Wentura. Effects of Age Stereotypes on Self-Views and Adaptation by Rothermund. PART 4. DEVELOPMENT IN CONTEXT: INTERACTIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON DEVELOPMENT. Relationship-Specific Aspects of the Self: The Role of Implicit Relationship Theories and Their Contribution to Marital Well-Being by Wunderer, Schneewind. Adaptation in close relationships: Self-views and partner-views by Felser. Universal Accommodation? Cross-Cultural Notes on Brandtstadter?s Coping Theory by Tesch-Romer. Developmental Counseling by Gr ser. Autonomy, Narrative Identity, and Their Critics. A Reply to Some Provocations of Postmodern Accounts in Psychology by Straub, Zielke, Werbik. Author Index. Subject Index