title: [Thoughts on a psychological model of optimal development].
abstract: Developmental planning and intervention involves technical decisions as well as decisions about developmental goals. The view that empirically oriented psychologists can only contribute to technical decisions is widely accepted but is seen to be open to serious question after a closer examination of some general characteristics of decision processes. It is argued that psychologists can also significantly contribute to decisions about developmental goals, especially if a "human-oriented" developmental planning is attempted, which takes human needs, interests and developmental motives into account. After regarding some basic problems in empirically substantiating hypotheses about individual needs and interests, arguments are advanced against "closed" developmental models, which are based on restrictive need-theoretical assumptions. Finally, some characteristics of an "open" model of optimal development are outlined.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D012931:Social Environment; D012951:Socialization
vernacular_title: Gedanken zu einem psychologischen Modell optimaler Entwicklung.