Current prominent models of identity face challenges in bridging across divergent perspectives and apparent dichotomies such as personal or social-collective, conscious or unconscious, and epigenetic or discursive-relational, and affording pursuit of research questions that allows integrative answers. This article presents a coherent theoretical…

According to models of differential susceptibility, the same neurobiological and temperamental traits that determine increased sensitivity to stress and adversity also confer enhanced responsivity to the positive aspects of the environment. Differential susceptibility models have expanded to include complex developmental processes in which genetic…

Two cohorts of alumni, leading-edge and trailing-edge baby boomers, first tested in their college years, were followed to ages 43 (N = 136) and 54 (N = 182) on a measure of Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to model the trajectory of growth for each psychosocial issue across middle adulthood. As…

Used archival data on individuals identified as shy and reserved in late childhood in 1954 to trace the continuities and consequences of the individuals' behavioral style for the subsequent 30 years of their lives. Childhood shyness did not produce pathological or extreme outcomes, but did have significant consequences for later development,…

Studied relationship of temperament and same-sex peer interaction with gender differences in adjustment. Found that highly arousable boys who played with same-sex peers had increased problem behaviors. Arousable girls who played with other girls were relatively unlikely to show problem behaviors. The arousability and same-sex peer interaction…