Argues that the perception of consequences for missing age-related deadlines might reflect motivational or coping processes rather than actual consequences. Posits that age-related expectations are powerful determinants of how people perceive and evaluate themselves and others and that they play an important role in selecting and pursuing goals.…

Concepts from the logic of modalities are applied to the life cycle to elaborate a new theory of adult and late-life development. Four logical modalities are described, each cognitively and emotionally governing discrete periods of life. It is hypothesized that optimal development in adult life includes explicit awareness of these modalities. (RH)

Maintains that Settersten's article (PS 528 646) elucidates the way in which American selfhood is formed, challenged, and maintained. Focuses on how survey research aids in examining questions regarding the meaning of age norms for individuals. Notes strengths and limitations of survey research and suggests that age salience may be an aspect of…

Argues that an "as-if" mode of making sense of the world is an important characteristic of human development across all age groups. Illustrates the role of as-if functioning in adults following loss of a loved one, maintaining that self-reorganization centers on the grave as a physical and symbolic entity and the deceased as an…

Maintains that Josephs (1998) identifies a new and significant research question: how individuals relate to loved one's death through an imaginary dialog created in an "as-if" manner. Discusses the issues of how adults' as-if activities are related to children's pretend play and how such dialogs might transform the self over time.…

Reviews Josephs's (1998) article connecting play as a discourse in metaphorical transformations with narrative and identity development, focusing on using narrative as a discourse of accounting for self and others in space and time and the role of self-thematization, death, and play in development. Concludes that Josephs advocates the cancellation…

Outlines emerging debates on salience of age in the life course. Notes study examining adults' perceptions of the relevance of age for life-course transitions related to family, education and work, or health and death: age was considered most salient in the family sphere; and was more salient for men than for women and for nonwhites than for…

Examined U-shaped development of graphic symbolization in children and in nonartist and artist adults. Found that drawing scores of adult artists did not differ from those of youngest children and artist adolescents, with a developmental sequence in acquisition of the ability to construct referential connections underlying visual metaphors.…

Examines the representations of mental functioning in terms of images and stories of gender relations. Suggests that the rational pole of the mind is often stereotyped as "hard" and "masculine," while the nonrational pole is considered "soft" and "feminine." Reviews evidence suggesting that these dynamics…

Underlines the importance of investigating development within concrete thinking. Points out the importance of taking seriously the need for epistemological pluralism respecting and rewarding the labor-intensive methods of inquiry that embody the kind of concrete, contextual thinking researchers try to understand. (AA)