title: A motivational theory of life-span development.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-7085, USA. jutta.heckhausen@uci.edu
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heckhausen
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wrosch
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schulz
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D006040:Goals; D006803:Human Development; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D011582:Psychological Theory