The principles of developmental psychology: contemporary view

Abstract

Methodological principles of continuity, anticipation of development and subjectivity important for developmental psychology are considered. The principle of continuity of mental development means the coherence of all stages of human development, their evolutionary preparedness, the relation of phylo- and ontogeny, self-development of the system organization of the psyche, of genetic-environmental parameters of mental changes. The principle of anticipation is closely connected with the principle of continuity of mental development and assumes that subsequent stages of development are prepared by the previous ones. Anticipation is considered as immanent property of all developing mental processes. The principle of subjectivity i.e. an authorship of one’s own development, uncertainty and uniqueness of mental development becomes the key for new understanding of the determinism principle. The substantiation and the argumentation of discussed principles of developmental psychology are presented.